3 


GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 


C1LIF.  LURABT,   EOS  HTCELES 


GOOD  ENGLISH  IN 
GOOD  FORM 


BY 


DORA  KNOWLTON  RANOUS 

Editor  and  Translator  of  "The  Literature  of  Italy;"  of  Complete 

Editions    of    Guy    de    Maupassant   and    Gustave    Flaubert; 

Author    of    "The    Diary    of   a    Daly    Debutante." 


WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION  BY 

ROSSITER  JOHNSON,  PH.D.,  LL.D. 

Author  of  "The  Alphabet  of  Rhetoric;"  Editor  of  Appleton's  Annual 
Cyclopaedia,  etc. 


fork 

STURGIS  &  WALTON 

COMPANY 

1916 


COPYRIGHT,  1916 
BY  STURGIS  &  WALTON  COMPANY 


Set  up  and  electrotjrped.     Published  March,  1916 


INTRODUCTION 

When  the  newspapers  so  frequently  amuse  their  read- 
ers by  exposing  the  ridiculous  compositions  of  our  high- 
school  pupils,  and  when  there  is  abundant  evidence  that 
many  professors  of  English  in  our  colleges  can  not  do 
much  better  for  their  students,  one  is  reminded  of  the 
homely  adage,  "If  you  would  have  anything  done  right, 
do  it  yourself."  The  student  who  has  listened  to  learned 
lectures  on  the  age  and  influence  of  Chaucer,  or  has 
been  required  to  produce  a  thesis  on  the  Lake  poets,  with- 
out being  taught  the  fundamental  principles  in  the  use  of 
his  native  tongue,  may  well  say,  "  Give  me  the  means  of 
teaching  myself." 

I  know  of  no  volume  that  will  answer  his  requirement 
so  completely  and  satisfactorily  as  this.  Here  he  is  so 
far  instructed  in  the  proper  use  of  words  and  phrases, 
with  caution  as  to  those  that  should  be  avoided,  that 
after  closing  the  book  he  will  delightedly  continue  the 
study  in  his  leisure  moments.  Here,  also,  he  is  taught 
how  to  use  books  of  reference.  Comparatively  few  read- 
ers have  the  knack  of  readily  uncovering  the  riches  of 
information  that  are  embodied  in  such  books. 

In  the  Second  Part  there  are  welcome  helps  toward 
correct  spelling,  through  etymology  and  a  little  knowl- 
edge of  Greek  and  Latin. 

In  the  Third  Part,  there  are  clear  instructions,  simpli- 
fipd  as  much  as  possible,  in  the  art  of  punctuation.  And 
this  is  one  of  the  most  important  branches  of  the  general 
subject.  A  misspelled  word  seldom  does  any  real  harm, 
because  the  meaning  of  the  writer  is  evident  enough ;  but 
in  many  cases  a  mark  of  punctuation,  erroneously  placed 

21 32536 


vi  INTRODUCTION 

or  lacking  altogether,  may  make  the  meaning  doubtful 
or  actually  reverse  it. 

The  remaining  parts  give  plain  instructions  in  proof- 
reading and  preparing  manuscript  for  the  printer.  Slip- 
shod work  in  this  line  is  often  excused  with  the  trite  re- 
mark, "  Oh,  the  printer  can  read  anything."  Perhaps  he 
can ;  but  when  the  careless  or  ignorant  writer  compels 
the  compositor  to  spend  time  in  deciphering  manuscript 
that  should  be  readable  at  a  glance,  he  takes  so  much 
bread  out  of  the  mouths  of  the  printer's  children.  And 
when  his  bad  punctuation  and  paragraphing  require  extra 
work  on  the  part  of  the  proofreader,  he  has  taken  bread 
out  of  the  mouths  of  his  own  children,  though  he  may 
not  know  it  when  he  looks  over  the  bewildering  bill  for 
"  Author's  Corrections." 

Whether  one  strives  for  correctness  and  elegance  in 
writing  letters,  or  advertisements,  or  lectures,  or  poems, 
or  books,  he  will  find  a  timely  friend  at  his  elbow  if  this 
book  is  on  his  desk. 

ROSSITER  JOHNSON. 


The  author  of  this  book  died  on  January  19,  1916,  a 
few  weeks  previous  to  its  publication.  She  was  singularly 
attractive  in  disposition,  of  brilliant  intellect,  and  had 
great  literary  ability,  especially  as  an  editor.  She  was 
justly  admired  by  her  co-workers,  and  was  beloved  by  her 
friends. 

THE  PUBLISHERS. 


CONTENTS 

PART  I 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I  SPEAKING  AND  WRITING 3 

II  TOPICS   FOR   PRACTICE:   TITLES 8 

III  VARIOUS   TYPES   OF   COMPOSITION 16 

IV  A  FEW  WORDS  ON  PARAGRAPHS 21 

V  WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:  GOOD  FORM  AND  BAD  ...  24 

VI    CONVENTIONAL  FORMS:  LETTER- WRITING 48 

VII    NICETIES   OF   CORRESPONDENCE 62 

PART  II 

I    DERIVATION  AND  COMPOSITION  OF  ENGLISH  WORDS    .     .  66 

II    PREFIXES  AND   SUFFIXES 70 

III  WORDS  DERIVED  FROM  THE  LATIN  AND  THE  GREEK  .     .  78 

IV  WORDS  DERIVED  FROM  THE  LATIN  AND  THE  GREEK  (Con- 

cluded)        145 

PART  III 

I    THE  ART  OF  PUNCTUATION 191 

II    PREPARING  A  MANUSCRIPT  FOR  THE  PRINTER  ....  225 

III  PRESS    COMPOSITION   AND   PROOFS 230 

IV  THE  ART  OF  PROOF-READING 233 

V    PREPARATION  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 246 


GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 


GOOD  ENGLISH  IN 
GOOD  FORM 

FIRST  PART 

CHAPTER  I 
SPEAKING  AND  WRITING 

We  should  have  a  clear  idea  of  the  difference  between 
these  terms  in  order  to  understand  the  art  that  forms  the 
subject  of  this  book  —  the  art  of  writing  the  English 
language  with  correctness  and  elegance,  otherwise,  "  good 
form." 

Every  person  that  is  not  dumb  necessarily  learns  to 
speak  as  he  learns  to  breathe,  and  nearly  every  person 
talks  whether  he  has  good  reason  to  do  so  or  not ;  but  few 
of  us  write  unless  we  find  it  necessary.  To  become  a 
perfect  speaker  is  a  difficult  art,  which  not  many  of  us 
master;  and  writing,  with  an  untrained  person,  is  very 
real  and  usually  irksome  labour.  As  a  process  of  nature, 
speaking  is  an  informal  exercise  of  the  vocal  organs,  but 
writing  is  an  act  following  deliberate  resolution.  In 
speaking  we  may  find  aid  in  movement  and  facial  ex- 
pression to  make  up  for  possible  lack  of  readiness  and 
ease  of  language ;  but  what  we  write  has  to  stand  for  it- 
self unaided,  a  revelation  of  our  real  selves.  While 
spoken  words  may  have  been  thought  out  carefully  be- 
forehand, once  they  are  uttered  they  cannot  be  changed 
except  by  more  words,  used  in  correction  or  modification ; 

3 


4  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

but  writing  may  be  revised  over  and  over  again  before 
anyone  except  the  author  sees  the  expressed  thought. 
This  possibility  that  the  revision  may  result  in  perfect 
form  and  expression  constitutes  the  important  differ- 
ence between  speaking  and  writing:  the  former,  though 
a  medium  of  great  power,  is  only  temporary,  while  the 
latter  is  the  means  whereby  we  record  ideas  that  may  be 
carried  to  the  furthermost  parts  of  the  world  and  per- 
haps last  for  centuries.  Hence  writing  is  absolutely  nec- 
essary to  set  forth  thoughts  that  we  desire  to  be  per- 
manent and  far-reaching. 

What  Writing  Is. —  Writing  is  a  process  of  putting 
thoughts  on  paper  by  means  of  words  and  sentences,  and 
it  consists  of  whatever  material  is  in  manuscript  or  in 
print,  comprising  letters,  sermons,  public  speeches,  school 
compositions,  newspapers,  magazines,  poems,  novels,  ad- 
vertisements, and  the  innumerable  forms  that  call  for 
type  and  printers'  ink  to  set  them  before  the  public. 

Why  Do  We  Write? — Although  writing  is  defined 
as  merely  the  art  of  expressing  thought  in  written  words, 
it  may  be  looked  upon  broadly  as  a  matter  of  occasion, 
either  formal  or  informal.  Formal  writing  is  likely  to 
have  in  view  a  certain  class  of  readers  or  hearers,  and  in 
this  category  belong  editorial  articles  in  newspapers  or 
magazines,  sermons,  essays,  and  all  the  productions  of 
stated  periods.  Informal  occasions  of  all  kinds  allow  a 
much  freer  style  of  expression,  and  usually  the  written 
word  conies  in  answer  to  an  immediate  need.  In  pre- 
paring a  sermon,  or  an  essay  for  a  school  or  college  com- 
position, for  instance,  the  writer  is  likely  to  take  pains  to 
express  himself  in  the  best  manner  he  knows;  but  on 
less  formal  occasions  he  writes  what  he  thinks  in  free 
and  natural  style.  So  the  student  of  composition  learns 
at  the  outset  that  different  styles  exist,  and  that  he  must 
use  his  judgment  as  to  the  appropriate  one  he  should 
choose  for  different  occasions. 

Subjects  for  Writing. —  Let  us  suppose  that  a  young 


SPEAKING   AND   WRITING  5 

college  girl  has  to  write  to  her  parents ;  that  a  clergyman 
is  expected  to  prepare  a  sermon  that  will  interest  and  up- 
lift his  congregation;  that  a  newspaper  or  magazine  edi- 
tor must  write  with  force  and  authority  on  passing1  events 
of  importance,  or  that  a  novelist  has  to  produce  tales  that 
will  amuse  or  mystify  his  public  to  a  degree  of  interest 
that  will  result  in  pecuniary  profit.  These  have  topics 
of  immediate  importance,  so  that  the  subject  is  easy  to 
decide  on.  But  when  no  such  obvious  reason  for  writ- 
ing is  at  hand,  yet  the  desire  or  necessity  of  writing  ex- 
ists, one  finds  himself  sometimes  obliged  to  ask  the  fun- 
damental and  important  question  —  Of  what  shall  I 
write  ? 

Suitable  Material. —  Suppose  a  subject  chosen,  the 
next  question  to  come  up  is,  how  to  obtain  the  necessary 
material  to  help  in  writing  about  it.  This  may  be  drawn 
from  a  great  many  sources.  In  hasty  or  informal  writ- 
ing, a  person  calls  on  his  acquired  knowledge,  his  expe- 
rience, observation,  opinions,  or  imagination  —  all  the 
subjects,  in  short,  that  he  would  use  in  conversation. 
These  same  aids  to  thought  are  employed  on  more  formal 
subjects  also ;  but  special  reading  and  research,  and  care- 
ful attention  to  accuracy  in  setting  forth  facts  and  de- 
tail, also  supply  material.  Available  material  must  be 
suited,  in  style  and  arrangement,  to  the  readers  or  the  au- 
dience to  whom  it  is  designed  to  appeal.  The  question 
"  For  whom  shall  I  write?  "  is  as  important  as  "  Of  what 
shall  I  write  ?  "  and  naturally  it  influences  the  style  of  the 
writer. 

Written  Arrangement  of  Ideas. —  As  the  question  of 
choosing  a  subject  to  write  about  implies  some  sort  of 
knowledge  on  the  part  of  the  writer,  who  is  to  answer  it 
himself,  so  the  business  of  actual  composition  should 
comprehend  three  plans  of  production. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  lay  out  one's  thoughts  on  a  chosen 
subject  in  some  sort  of  progressive  scheme.  Having  de- 
cided on  a  subject,  it  is  well  for  the  writer  to  make  a  sort 


6          GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

of  card-index  of  its  principal  heads,  and,  after  arrang- 
ing them  in  what  appears  to  be  the  proper  sequence,  to 
fill  the  spaces  with  the  development  of  each  head  until 
he  has  said  his  say  on  that  part  of  his  subject,  when  he 
may  go  on  to  the  next  head.  Other  writers  prefer  to  be- 
gin directly  with  the  main  topic,  and  let  the  subject 
branch  out  as  it  will,  as  ideas  come  to  them,  without  set 
preliminary  arrangement.  Many  essayists  begin  with 
some  familiar  idea,  or  with  a  direct  quotation  from  an- 
other author  that  shall  be  appropriate  to  the  chosen  sub- 
ject; but  for  beginners  it  is  certainly  a  good  plan  to  lay 
out  some  scheme  of  composition. 

What  is  Composition? —  Composition  is  the  process  of 
arranging  ideas  so  that  they  will  best  follow  one  another 
and  produce  the  best  effect,  bringing  into  notice  the  pas- 
sages that  a  writer  regards  as  the  more  important  points 
of  what  he  has  to  say.  In  writing,  composition  is  a  plan 
or  scheme  of  ideas,  and  in  practical  application  it  is  a  some- 
what various  matter.  Literary  compositions  may  be  short 
or  long;  they  may  be  a  brief  page  or  two,  a  few  para- 
graphs, or  even  a  few  sentences,  or  they  may  consist  of 
several  volumes  on  the  same  subject. 

It  is  important  that  these  two  uses  of  the  word  compo- 
sition —  one  meaning  any  piece  of  writing,  and  the  other 
the  arrangement  thereof  —  should  be  distinct  in  the  mind. 
Composition,  as  meant  in  the  sense  last  named,  is  simply 
good  planning. 

Actual  Writing. —  The  average  practised  writer  usu- 
ally produces  his  first  draft  of  a  subject  as  rapidly  as 
possible,  keeping  in  mind  the  facts  of  what  he  wishes  to 
say  rather  than  the  finish  of  his  style.  The  first  draft 
completed,  he  then  goes  over  his  work  carefully  with  a 
view  to  better  expression.  He  lengthens  or  shortens  a 
sentence,  changes  the  arrangement  of  paragraphs,  adds 
new  ideas,  eliminates  whatever  he  deems  unnecessary  or 
unsuitable ;  in  short,  polishes  his  production.  This  is  the 
usual  procedure.  But  it  is  well  to  cultivate  a  habit  of 


SPEAKING   AND   WRITING 


trying  to  write  so  carefully  in  the  first  place  that  such 
elaborate  revision  is  unnecessary;  and  this  can  be  done 
by  working  slowly  at  first,  and  accustoming  oneself  to 
use  only  the  right  word  in  the  best  place  for  it. 


CHAPTER  II 
TOPICS  FOR  PRACTICE:    TITLES 

The  important  question,  "Of  what  shall  I  write?" 
finds  its  answer  in  reflection  on  one's  hopes,  desires, 
interests,  opinions,  and  thoughts,  and  in  the  known  ex- 
pectations of  an  audience  or  a  circle  of  readers.  If  a 
written  production  is  to  be  a  mere  matter  of  self-training 
in  written  expression,  the  topic  chosen  should  be  one  suit- 
able for  practice  in  attaining  ease  of  expression.  Good 
subjects  for  practice  are  found  in  comments  on  material 
already  in  print,  such  as  reviews  or  summaries  of  novels  or 
other  works,  and  also  in  translations  from  foreign 
writers. 

A  good  rule  is  to  begin  with  some  matter  that  you 
feel  well  acquainted  with,  something  that  has  interested 
you,  or  in  which  you  are  trained,  or  an  incident  you  have 
observed  closely  or  have  been  moved  by.  Other  sub- 
jects may  be  drawn  from  one's  personal  experiences,  of- 
fering opportunity  for  observation  and  play  of  imagina- 
tion. Again,  a  literary,  historic,  or  scientific  subject  may 
be  selected,  and  this  will  need  reading  and  research 
among  the  works  of  writers  that  are  regarded  as  high 
authority  on  that  particular  subject. 

Translations  from  Foreign  Writers:  Summaries. — 
The  object  of  making  translations  is  to  give  to  readers 
facts  or  fiction  that  has  been  written  in  a  language  un- 
known to  them;  of  making  summaries,  to  set  forth  the 
contents  and  substance  of  a  literary  production  in  suc- 
cinct fashion  for  the  benefit  of  persons  whose  time  for 
reading  is  limited. 

In  translation,  the  composition  is  ready  made,  so  to 

8 


TOPICS  FOR  PRACTICE:    TITLES  9 

speak,  and  the  translator  has  only  to  understand  its  mean- 
ing and  to  express  it  in  as  good  English  as  he  can  com- 
mand. There  are  many  translators  of  almost  all  lan- 
guages, and  some  of  their  work  may  be  classed  as  good, 
but  much  of  it  is  either  bad  or  indifferent;  for  the 
ability  to  render  a  foreign  tongue  into  clear,  elegant,  and 
idiomatic  English,  which  preserves  the  best  significance 
of  the  original  and  yet  makes  the  translation  read  like 
English  passages  of  a  corresponding  style,  is  by  no  means 
a  common  accomplishment.  Therefore,  translating  is  ex- 
cellent practice  for  training  in  style,  though  not  the  best, 
since  the  basis  is  already  prepared,  and  thus  calls  for  no 
originality  of  thought. 

Summary. —  Like  translation,  summary  has  its  ground- 
work of  composition  ready  made,  and  a  summary  is  a 
sort  of  running  digest  of  facts  or  fancies  arranged  in  the 
sequence  of  the  original  literary  work  from  which  it  is 
drawn.  Except  when  following  the  plot  of  a  story,  it  is 
often  a  good  plan  to  begin  with  a  brief  statement  of  the 
main  idea  of  the  work,  and  continue  with  the  necessary 
description  of  its  contents.  Readiness  in  producing  a 
good  illuminating  summary  of  any  considerable  literary 
production  is  of  the  greatest  value  in  newspaper  work,  in 
debate,  in  note-taking,  and  in  reporting. 

Personal  Experiences. —  These,  and  subjects  depend- 
ing on  one's  imagination  and  observation,  form  an  inex- 
haustible mine  to  draw  from.  Interesting  or  unusual 
things  you  have  done  or  seen,  what  you  observe  in  daily 
life,  what  you  think  of  passing  events,  at  home  or  abroad, 
your  own  particular  fancies  or  theories,  should  supply 
plenty  of  suggestions  from  which  you  may  produce 
bright,  interesting,  or  amusing  sketches,  essays,  or  short 
stories.  Almost  any  subject  is  good  if  only  it  interests 
its  writer  and  therefore  has  some  chance  of  interesting  a 
reader.  Still,  certain  well-worn  subjects  cannot  be  called 
positively  good.  Such  a  topic  as  "  My  Summer  Vaca- 
tion," for  example,  is  likely  to  be  difficult  to  make  fresh 


IO  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

and  entertaining,  since  one's  vacation  rarely  interests  any 
person  but  the  one  that  takes  it.  Sketches  of  character 
and  little  tales  of  actual  experience  are  good,  yet  brief 
descriptions  of  unknown  persons  of  unusual  appearance 
met  in  the  streets  or  in  public  conveyances  are  likely  to  be 
merely  superficial  and  obvious,  and  to  make  no  call  upon 
one's  deeper  powers  of  observation  and  thought.  For 
young  writers,  the  facts  and  events  of  every-day  life,  and 
their  ideas  about  these  things,  especially  if  they  demand 
some  study  and  research,  are  the  best  subjects  for  original 
composition ;  and  continual  practice  in  choosing  such  sub- 
jects will  bring  forth  more  and  more  ideas  and  situations 
to  develop. 

Literary,  Historic,  or  Scientific  Subject-Matter. — 
These  subjects  include  virtually  all  literature  intended 
purely  for  entertainment,  and  much  of  that  in  the  field 
of  instruction  and  information.  Excepting  fiction,  such 
subjects  form  the  principal  contents  of  magazines  of  the 
higher  class,  of  a  wide  variety  of  books,  essays,  articles  of 
criticism  and  research,  and  the  greater  part  of  important 
speeches.  They  may  be  only  explanatory,  or  they  may 
call  for  some  sort  of  argumentation,  critical  or  persuas- 
ive. However  one  may  find  his  subject,  in  order  to  do 
good  work  he  should  always  look  up  the  facts  regarding 
it,  wherever  they  can  be  found.  In  no  other  way  can 
Mr.  Gradgrind's  motto,  "  Facts,  sir,  facts,"  be  more  ad- 
vantageously followed  than  in  preparing  for  the  publicity 
of  print  a  literary  production  of  any  kind.  A  student  of 
composition,  then,  must  choose  his  subject,  gather  his 
facts,  and  look  carefully  to  his  arrangement  of  them.  If 
he  can  produce  a  clear,  reasonable,  readable,  and  cor- 
rectly expressed  statement,  from  his  fresh  point  of  view, 
of  what  is  already  known  —  be  it  in  literature,  history, 
science,  or  in  medicine  and  hygiene  —  from  a  previous 
appearance  in  books,  magazines,  and  newspapers  from 
any  period  of  the  past  to  the  present  day,  he  may  feel 
that  he  is  advancing  in  the  art  of  written  expression  to 


TOPICS  FOR  PRACTICE:    TITLES  n 

the  point  where  he  will  be  able  to  write  freely  and  grace- 
fully on  a  subject  evolved  from  his  own  thought. 

Choice  of  Titles. —  The  titles  of  books,  special  articles, 
short  stories,  etc.,  usually  suggest  themselves  after  the 
subject  is  definitely  decided,  though  of  course  this  is  not 
an  invariable  rule.  But  the  choice  of  a  definite  title  at 
the  outset  helps  to  clear  the  way  and  to  set  the  writer  on 
the  right  track  to  reach  his  goal.  The  function  of  a 
title  is  twofold:  it  tells  the  reader  what  the  subject  is  and 
tries  to  make  it  attractive.  The  matter  of  attractiveness 
in  title  is  of  special  consequence  in  a  production  intended 
for  entertainment,  when  it  should  be  clear  and  definite 
enough  to  awaken  interest,  though  it  need  not  necessarily 
betray  prematurely  the  point  and  purpose  of  the  article. 
Such  titles  as  "A  Woodland  Walk,"  "A  Vision,"  "A 
Railway  Journey,"  arouse  no  interest  and  give  no  sugges- 
tion that  the  writer  has  anything  to  say  that  is  worth 
while.  They  should  be  made  more  definite,  and  should 
suggest  the  main  point  of  interest  in  article  or  story. 
"  A  Walk  in  Thoreau's  Woods/'  for  example,  or  "  A 
Warning  Vision,"  or  "  A  Journey  on  the  Longest  Rail- 
way in  the  World,"  would  give  a  fancy-stimulating  idea 
of  what  the  production  might  be  about. 

Besides  being  merely  definite,  titles  may  be  made  agree- 
ably puzzling,  humorous,  poetic  and  exciting  in  count- 
less ways.  A  short  quotation  sometimes  makes  an  ex- 
cellent title,  if  it  is  apt  enough  to  illustrate  the  subject. 
Scott,  Kipling,  Hardy,  and  Stevenson  are  particularly 
happy  in  their  titles,  since  evidently  their  purpose  in 
choosing  them  was  to  make  them  attractive  to  both  the 
eye  and  the  imagination. 

The  Finding  of  Material. —  There  are  three  sources 
of  material  that  may  be  used  in  any  kind  of  writing.  The 
first  is  one's  original  observation  and  imagination;  the 
other  two  consist  of  the  information  that  he  picks  up 
from  hearsay  and  from  the  recorded  information  and 
ideas  that  exist  in  books,  newspapers,  and  periodicals. 


12  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

Hence,  what  one  observes,  what  he  fancies,  what  he  hears 
and  reads,  are  the  principal  sources  of  material  for 
writing. 

The  Public  Library  an  Inexhaustible  Fount. —  The 
records  to  be  found  in  public  libraries  are  probably  the 
best  sources  of  material  that  can  be  found  by  a  person  in 
ordinary  surroundings;  and,  while  producing  work  of  a 
purely  imaginary  kind,  or  something  that  is  the  result  of 
personal  observation,  one  might  not  need  to  consult  these 
at  all,  a  knowledge  of  them  is  indispensable  in  writing 
anything  that  aims  at  scholarship  or  a  setting  forth  of  his- 
toric or  scientific  facts. 

The  Study  of  Bibliography. —  Owing  to  the  rapid  and 
continual  increase  in  the  publication  of  books  and  maga- 
zines on  literary  subjects,  and  numerous  periodicals  de- 
voted to  special  topics,  bibliography,  which  is  the  published 
information  concerning  the  works  of  authors  on  all 
subjects,  has  taken  an  important  place  in  the  world  of 
literary  workers.  Bibliography  aims  to  guide  a  searcher 
among  the  vast  mass  of  information  to  be  found  among 
these  publications  to  that  which  pertains  to  his  own  sub- 
ject. In  nearly  all  libraries  a  writer  may  find  general 
cyclopaedias  and  special  cyclopaedias  containing  articles 
on  all  subjects  of  human  knowledge,  and  references  to  the 
best  authorities  on  these  subjects;  he  may  find  indexes 
and  card  catalogues  guiding  him  to  the  shelves  where  he 
will  find  the  books  or  other  references  of  which  he  is 
in  search.  No  one  that  desires  to  write  with  accuracy  on 
any  subject  should  neglect  the  help  of  bibliography,  which 
he  will  find  his  chief  aid  in  obtaining  material. 

Books  of  Reference. —  A  great  many  persons,  though 
well  accustomed  to  reading,  are  not  even  aware  of  the  ex- 
istence of  countless  books  of  reference  on  almost  every 
conceivable  subject.  Would-be  writers  should  form  a 
habit  of  visiting  libraries  and  spending  some  time  in  ex- 
amining books  of  reference  and  finding  out  thereby  what 
mines  of  riches  they  may  explore. 


TOPICS  FOR  PRACTICE:    TITLES  13 

For  instance,  if  one  is  searching  for  articles  on  scien- 
tific or  historical  matter,  nothing  better  in  the  way  of  a 
cyclopaedia  can  be  found  than  the  Encyclopaedia  Britan- 
nica,  which  contains  a  great  deal  of  highly  specialized  in- 
formation, but  not  very  much  that  is  merely  "  popular." 

For  foreign  material,  and  especially  for  biographies  of 
foreign  persons,  one  should  consult  Larousse,  the  great 
French  Cyclopaedia,  or  the  old  Appleton's  American 
Cyclopaedia,  a  mine  of  information  as  to  literary,  histori- 
cal, and  biographical  matter  up  to  the  time  of  its  publi- 
cation; it  is  full  and  accurate,  and  is  a  model  of  good 
English,  well  worth  mention  for  its  admirable  style.  Next 
to  that  may  be  recommended  for  general  use  the  Universal 
Cyclopaedia,  also  published  by  the  Appletons;  and  The 
New  International  Encyclopaedia,  published  by  Dodd, 
Mead  and  Company. 

For  information  on  Jewish  subjects,  and  things  that 
have  any  relation  to  Judaism,  consult  the  Jewish  Cyclo- 
paedia, published  by  Funk  and  Wagnalls;  and  for  topics 
and  biographies  concerning  the  Roman  Catholic  Church, 
consult  the  Catholic  Cyclopaedia,  published  by  the  Robert 
Appleton  Company. 

Cyclopaedias  exist  on  almost  every  subject  of  thought 
and  activity,  as  art,  music,  etc.,  but  their  principal  serv- 
ice to  one  that  wishes  to  "  read  up "  a  topic  is  as  a 
guide  to  more  exact  and  probably  more  modern  informa- 
tion ;  consequently,  while  it  is  well  to  begin  one's  investi- 
gations by  consulting  a  general  work  of  this  kind,  it 
should  be  done  with  the  idea  of  merely  laying  a  founda- 
tion for  further  research ;  otherwise  one  is  likely  not  only 
to  miss  many  good  points,  more  recent  or  more  specific 
than  a  cyclopaedia  article  would  include,  but  his  writing 
may  betray  the  "flavour"  of  the  cyclopaedia. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  an  enormous  amount  of 
good  material  on  a  vast  number  of  subjects  has  been  filed 
away  in  magazine  articles  in  libraries  during  the  last  half 
century;  and  it  is  wise  for  every  writer  to  consult 


14  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

"  Poole's  Index,"  or  some  similar  classified  list  of  maga- 
zine articles,  to  acquaint  himself  with  what  has  been  pub- 
lished in  the  periodicals. 

It  is  especially  important  to  make  sure  of  what  has  been 
written  by  others  in  the  case  of  any  scientific  or  historical 
article,  that  one  may  not  duplicate  statements  needlessly, 
and  to  avoid  wasting  time  in  searching  yourself  for  what 
some  other  person  has  described  long  before  you. 

Finally,  a  certain  publication  known  as  "  Notes  and 
Queries,"  is  a  treasure-house  of  information,  well  in- 
dexed, whence  you  may  obtain  facts  and  illustrations 
which,  if  they  do  no  more,  will  vivify  and  ornament  your 
article. 

Other  valuable  works  almost  indispensable  to  a  writer 
are: 

Guide-books  to  all  countries. 

The  "  World  "  and  other  similar  Almanacs. 

Dictionary  of  National  Biography  (British). 

Appleton's  Cyclopaedia  of  American  Biography. 

Brockhaus's  "Conversations-Lexicon"  (German). 

Meyer's  "  Conversations-Lexicon  "  (German). 

Dictionary  of  American  Authors,  by  Oscar  Fay  Adams. 

Bartlett's  "  Familiar  Quotations." 

The  Rhyming  Dictionary,  published  by  Funk  and  Wag- 
nails. 

The  Dictionary  of  Poetry  (Funk  and  Wagnalls). 

Roget's  "  Thesaurus." 

Note-Taking. —  The  principal  object  of  taking  notes 
is  to  prompt  the  memory,  and  it  is  an  important  aid  to  a 
young  writer  to  take  notes  on  whatever  he  sees  or  hears 
that  later  may  be  used  advantageously  in  story  or  essay. 
How  often  a  treacherous  memory  loses  a  good  thing  that 
would  have  added  point  and  humour  to  some  later  pro- 
duction, when  all  that  was  necessary  to  fix  it  in  the  mind 
was  a  note-book,  in  which  it  might  have  been  recorded  at 
the  instant  of  impression  and  stowed  away  for  future 
use !  Emerson,  Hawthorne,  Dickens,  Thackeray,  Steven- 


TOPICS  FOR  PRACTICE:     TITLES  15 

son,  and  many  other  great  writers  kept  note-books,  some 
of  which  were  published  as  regular  volumes  in  complete 
editions  of  their  works.  Gibbon,  the  historian,  says  of 
note-taking  in  his  "  Memoirs  " :  "I  recommend  to  the 
young  student  a  practice  which  I  adopted  myself.  After 
glancing  my  eye  over  the  design  and  order  of  a  new 
book,  I  suspended  the  perusal  until  I  had  finished  the 
task  of  self-examination ;  till  I  had  revolved,  in  a  solitary 
walk,  all  that  I  knew  or  believed,  or  had  thought  on  the 
subject  of  the  whole  work,  or  of  some  particular  chapter. 
I  was  then  qualified  to  discern  how  much  the  author  had 
added  to  my  original  stock." 

Robert  Louis  Stevenson  has  told  that  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  keeping  a  note-book,  in  which  he  jotted  down  all 
sorts  of  impressions,  serious  and  humorous,  and  descrip- 
tions of  what  he  saw  or  "  commemorated  in  some  halting 
stanzas." 

Keep  your  own  note-book,  then,  and  jot  down  your 
bright  ideas  or  serious  thoughts,  and  the  interesting, 
humorous,  or  pathetic  things  you  may  see  day  after  day. 


CHAPTER  III 
VARIOUS  TYPES  OF  COMPOSITION 

General  Principles. —  We  have  now  some  knowledge 
of  the  usual  occasions  for  writing,  of  subjects,  of  the 
gathering  of  material,  and  the  more  important  of  the 
necessary  conventions  to  be  observed.  As  to  assisting 
individual  constructive  thought,  it  is  difficult  to  do  much 
more  than  to  set  forth  certain  general  principles,  in  fol- 
lowing which,  however,  exact  and  rigid  rule  must  often 
give  way  to  individual  thinking,  to  common  sense,  and  to 
preference. 

Much  actual  composition  is  subject  to  particular  rules 
or  customs.  For  example,  there  are,  naturally,  different 
lengths  for  different  forms  of  discourse,  and  certain 
forms  proceed  in  a  prescribed  way,  as  sermons  from  texts 
of  the  Bible,  and  after-dinner  speeches  from  what  has 
been  said  by  the  toast-master  or  by  other  speakers. 
These  are  simply  matters  of  conventional  convenience, 
and  all  writers  and  speakers  follow  them  to  a  certain 
degree.  But  the  larger  part  of  spoken  discourse,  par- 
ticularly the  interchange  of  ideas  in  conversation,  takes 
place  without  any  apparent  composition  at  all;  it  is 
designed  only  to  exchange  facts  and  opinions,  or  to 
work  upon  the  moods  or  emotions  of  one's  interlocutors. 
In  this  kind  of  speaking  we  may  use  much  art,  but  we 
rarely  think  of  our  utterances  as  "  composition."  Be- 
sides, in  this  informal  speech,  our  manner  or  our  expres- 
sion is  usually  much  more  powerful  than  written  composi- 
tion would  be.  We  begin  to  think  of  composition  only 
when  as  writers  we  have  larger  and  more  closely  related 
bodies  of  facts  to  consider.  But  it  is  true  that  some  skill 

16 


VARIOUS   TYPES   OF    COMPOSITION  17 

in  the  composition  of  ideas  is  needed  even  in  the  most 
casual  moods  if  we  stop  to  observe  the  appalling  amount 
of  disjointed,  "  sloppy,"  indeterminate  writing  and  speak- 
ing that  we  are  compelled  to  read  or  hear  every  day. 
When  a  person  gives  us  bad  "  composition  "  in  his  con- 
versation he  usually  wastes  our  time  and  often  misleads 
us.  As  a  rule,  inexperienced  writers  and  speakers  do  not 
compose  well  —  that  is,  they  do  not  know  how  to  ar- 
range what  they  wish  to  express;  they  are  long-winded, 
roundabout,  irrelevant;  and  often  a  matter  that  should 
occupy  not  more  than  five  minutes  in  expressing  it  will 
fill  an  hour,  because  the  speaker  does  not  know  how  to 
compose  as  he  goes  along;  still  less  does  he  know  about 
"  editing  "  his  utterances  while  he  speaks. 

Two  leading  questions  may  be  asked  in  reference  to 
any  piece  of  writing,  whether  it  be  published  work,  a 
class  theme,  an  advertisement,  or  a  letter.  These  are: 
(i)  What  is  the  writer  trying  to  say?  This  deals  with 
the  substance,  the  idea,  or  the  mood;  and  (2)  How  does 
he  make  his  point?  This  deals  with  the  order  or  the 
method  of  his  work. 

Certain  Rules  of  Composition. —  Whatever  a  writer 
may  be  trying  to  express,  there  are  certain  rules  an 
understanding  of  which  is  necessary  for  good  composi- 
tion. These  principles  are  unity,  coherence,  and  em- 
phasis. The  first  relates  chiefly  to  the  selection  of  ideas ; 
the  last  two  to  the  arrangement,  or  structure,  of  the  com- 
position. 

Unity. —  This  principle  means  simply  that  whatever  is 
in  a  composition  shall  properly  belong  to  the  subject. 
Unity  demands  that  what  you  say  on  a  subject  shall  be 
appropriate  to  that  theme,  that  it  shall  be  about  some- 
thing definite  —  that  what  you  are  writing  about  shall  be 
evident.  However,  unity  is  by  no  means  a  fixed  matter, 
and,  though  important  in  all  kinds  of  writing,  is  not  al- 
ways to  be  had  in  one  way.  In  writing  on  a  definite 
thesis  or  proposition,  in  stories  depicting1  the  writer's  own 


l8  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

prevailing  mood,  unity  is  a  more  fixed  matter  than  in 
many  longer  works;  that  is,  the  subject  is  more  definite. 
All  that  one  may  fairly  expect  of  Irving's  "  Life  of  Wash- 
ington "  or  of  James  Bryce's  book  on  the  United  States  is 
that  most  of  what  they  have  to  say  shall  be  about  the 
immortal  George  or  about  our  commonwealth,  and  that 
they  shall  not  treat  of  unrelated  or  unimportant  things. 
But  the  unity  of  much  interesting  writing  is  of  the  most 
haphazard  kind,  for  powerful  charm  may  lie  in  the  very 
lack  of  rigor,  in  the  very  license  the  writer  may  take  to 
ramble  from  the  specific  subject  to  gather  wisdom  by 
the  way.  This  is  well  illustrated  in  Stevenson's  "  Travels 
with  a  Donkey,"  Sterne's  "  A  Sentimental  Journey,"  and 
Holmes's  "The  Professor  at  the  Breakfast-Table." 
Unity  is  only  another  name  for  the  fact  that  any  composi- 
tion, paragraph,  or  sentence  should  be  about  something 
definite,  and  should  retain  some  relation  to  what  has 
gone  before  or  what  is  to  come  after. 

Coherence. —  In  composition,  coherence  deals  with  the 
arrangement  and  connection  of  ideas.  Just  as  certain 
materials  will  combine  well  and  others  will  not,  so,  in 
writing,  ideas  that  are  similar  should  go  together.  Ar- 
rangements should  be  logical  development  of  a  thought, 
proceeding  from  one  idea  to  the  resultant  idea.  As  in 
unity,  the  main  thing  in  coherence  is  to  follow  some  defi- 
nite scheme  of  arrangement.  The  one  thing  fatal  to 
coherence  is  the  mixing  of  subjects  and  chapters  in  a 
random  way ;  and  the  really  essential  thing  is  some  pro- 
gressive form  arranged  in  such  a  way  as,  if  the  story 
were  one  of  actual  life,  it  would  develop  in  nature.  Be- 
gin with  the  most  essential  part  of  the  story  and  follow 
the  development  of  its  facts  in  this  direction  or  that,  as 
the  plot  leads,  being  careful  to  set  down  as  you  go  along 
everything  that  is  necessary  to  the  understanding  of  the 
facts  with  which  you  are  dealing  at  the  moment;  then, 
having  cleared  the  ground  and  prepared  the  mind  of  the 
reader  as  fully  as  you  can  for  further  information  or  in- 


VARIOUS   TYPES   OF    COMPOSITION  IQ 

terest,  you  proceed  to  describe  what  naturally  follows  in 
the  development  of  the  story  or  argument,  if  it  is  a 
literary  matter;  or  what  would  be  the  next  point  in  the 
process  if  you  were  describing  the  making  of  some  manu- 
factured article.  In  general,  the  rule  of  arrangement 
simply  is  to  bring  together  all  those,  facts  that  pertain  to 
the  same  idea,  and  to  cause  these  to  follow  one  another  in 
the  natural  and  logical  course  of  development. 

Emphasis. —  As  in  elocution,  emphasis  in  writing  con- 
sists in  laying  stress  on  the  principal  thought  or  the  im- 
portant word.  Proper  emphasis  brings  out  clearly  the 
main  ideas  in  speaking,  and  in  well-emphasized  composi- 
tion the  most  important  points  are  discerned  without  diffi- 
culty. Of  course  the  easiest  as  well  as  the  commonest 
way  of  giving  prominence  to  main  ideas  is  to  say  or  write : 
"  In  this  article  our  readers'  attention  is  called  chiefly 
to,"  etc.  This  calls  for  no  great  subtlety;  all  that  is 
necessary  is  to  be  sure  of  what  one's  important  point  is, 
to  say  that  it  is  important,  and  to  give  it  appropriate 
treatment.  Yet  even  this  sort  of  preparatory  comment 
is  rather  obvious  and  is  usually  unnecessary.  It  would 
be  better  to  write  in  such  a  way  that  a  reader  may  see 
for  himself  that  your  main  idea  is  the  important  point. 
A  well-known  writer  on  the  subject  of  rhetoric  charac- 
terises these  phrases  of  explanation  as  to  what  is  to  fol- 
low as  the  "  scaffolding "  of  the  literary  workshop, 
which  should  not  appear  in  public  any  more  than  should 
the  scaffolding  of  a  building  after  the  structure  is  com- 
pleted. As  a  general  thing,  such  expressions  as  "  In  this 
essay  we  are  concerned  chiefly  with,"  or  "  It  may  be  men- 
tioned here  that,"  etc.,  are  mere  "  scaffolding,"  and  the 
piece  of  writing  should  be  so  clearly  written  that  readers 
can  see  for  themselves  what  your  would-be  explanatory 
phrase  would  force  upon  them.  Of  literary  aids  to  at- 
taining emphasis,  contrast,  or  the  bringing  of  ideas  into 
opposition,  is  frequently  used,  introduced  by  a  phrase  like 
"  It  was  once  thought  .  .  .  but  the  truth  is  that  .  .  ." 


2O  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

Well  contrived  suspense  in  stories,  or  the  many  ways  of 
creating  mystification,  are  favorite  methods  of  making 
emphasis.  Like  coherence  and  unity,  emphasis  is  bet- 
ter illustrated,  and  may  even  be  more  important,  in  short 
compositions  than  in  long  ones. 

Tests  of  Composition. —  The  principles  or  tests  of 
good  composition,  then,  are  unity,  coherence,  and  ef- 
fective emphasis,  the  successful  use  of  which  gives  un- 
broken thought  and  good  structure.  Perhaps  preliminary 
arrangement  of  some  kind  is  the  most  important  thing  for 
beginners  in  composition,  and  this  arrangement  is  aided, 
in  a  piece  of  writing  of  any  considerable  length,  by  the  di- 
visions of  chapters,  sections,  and  paragraphs.  Good  ar- 
rangement being,  after  his  ideas,  the  most  important  thing 
for  a  young  writer  to  acquire,  it  is  necessary  that  he 
should  study  many  masterpieces  of  composition,  note 
how  various  pieces  are  put  together,  and  make  summaries 
of  them.  He  must  not  forget  that  composition  cannot  be 
treated  satisfactorily  in  theory;  it  is  entirely  a  practical 
exercise.  Good  composition  is  simply  good  arrangement. 
But  good  arrangement  is  not  the  same,  of  course,  in  any 
two  pieces  of  literary  work ;  therefore,  the  only  true  way 
of  studying  the  subject  is  to  examine  numerous  examples 
of  what  are  regarded  as  models  in  English  composition, 
and  the  practice  of  the  composing  of  literary  matter  on  a 
variety  of  attractive  subjects. 


CHAPTER  IV 
A  FEW  WORDS  ON  PARAGRAPHS 

The  principles  of  composition  already  discussed  may 
also  be  considered  here  from  a  different  point  of  view  in 
their  relation  to  paragraphs. 

As  of  literary  composition,  so  of  paragraphs :  in  a  strict 
sense,  there  are  really  no  laws  regarding  their  use.  Cer- 
tain principles  of  composition,  which  are  founded  on  con- 
venience and  which  have  become  literary  custom,  are 
nearly  all  that  is  general  and  positive  with  regard  to  the 
making  of  paragraphs.  They  are,  in  fact,  matters  that 
may  be  treated  with  much  freedom,  and  the  more  one 
experiments  in  manner  of  arrangement  and  originality  of 
phraseology  in  paragraphing,  the  better  his  writing  is 
likely  to  be.  To  find  illustration  of  this  fact,  one  has 
only  to  examine  actual  literature,  to  read  widely  in  well 
varied  writing  of  the  best  authors,  with  keen  observa- 
tion of  the  paragraphing  and  the  paragraph-sense  in  the 
works. 

Paragraphs  are  of  comparatively  recent  origin;  not 
nearly  so  much  attention  was  paid  to  their  arrangement 
centuries  ago  as  at  present.  In  earlier  days,  paragraphs 
were  usually,  like  sentences,  much  longer  than  are  used 
now.  Paragraphs  are  merely  frequent  breaks  in  the  text 
of  a  piece  of  literary  work ;  they  give  the  eyes  a  rest  and 
allow  the  mind  to  take  a  fresh  hold  on  the  matter  of  the 
succeeding  text.  Many  good  writers  have  no  other  rule 
about  paragraphing  than  to  make  one  paragraph  nearly 
fill  a  page  of  their  manuscript ;  and,  with  the  aid  of  good 
judgment  as  to  connecting  sense,  and  careful  wording, 
nothing  more  may  be  necessary  in  paragraphing  beyond 

21 


22  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

this  simple  method.  Care  should  be  taken  that  one  para- 
graph shall  not  entirely  fill  the  printed  page,  and  also  that 
too  many  short  paragraphs  shall  not  appear  on  a  page. 
When  too  many  brief  divisions  of  the  text  appear,  they 
make  a  disagreeable  impression  on  the  eye  and  show  too 
much  of  the  blank  white  of  the  paper  to  produce  a  good 
effect. 

Paragraph  Transitions. —  Paragraphs  may  be  used 
in  such  a  way  as  to  give  a  pleasing  variety,  to  show 
the  connection  of  one  paragraph  with  another,  and  some- 
times to  anticipate  the  contents  of  the  next.  How  to  get 
from  one  paragraph  to  another  is  an  important  matter, 
depending  somewhat  on  the  style  of  composition  that 
happens  to  be  used ;  and  the  best  way  of  studying  it  is  to 
examine  many  excellent  models  of  literature. 

Introductory  paragraphs  and  concluding  paragraphs 
are  "  paragraphs  of  transition,"  since  they  serve  to  lead 
from  the  surrounding  atmosphere  of  fact  and  ideas  to  a 
definite  subject  or  to  bring  it  to  an  appropriate  close. 
Note  the  particular  way  in  which  an  author  taken  as  a 
model  passes  from  his  introduction  to  the  paragraph 
in  which  his  subject  really  begins. 

To  summarize  the  foregoing,  one  may  say  that  a  para- 
graph may  be  made  in  almost  any  way,  provided  that  it 
shall  begin  in  a  manner  that  will  connect  it  with  what 
follows,  either  directly  or  by  contrast,  provided  that  what 
follows  is  in  a  comprehensible  order,  and  provided 
that  there  is  not  so  much  of  it  that  the  reader  is  likely  to 
become  confused  as  to  its  sense. 

Connection. —  A  careful  use  of  connective  words,  to 
indicate  the  bearing  of  every  sentence  in  a  paragraph,  and 
the  arrangement  of  the  words  in  the  sentences  so  as  to 
give  them  the  strongest  union  with  one  another :  these  are 
methods  that  it  is  well  to  employ,  especially  in  writing 
that  requires  a  considerable  amount  of  explicit  detail  and 
explanation.  Young  writers  are  likely  to  use  too  few 
of  the  useful  connective  words,  or  they  often  use  them 


A   FEW    WORDS   ON    PARAGRAPHS  23 

erroneously.  The  principal  connectives  are  "  hence," 
"therefore,"  "the  former,"  "the  latter,"  "on  the  one 
hand,"  "  on  the  other  hand,"  "  on  the  contrary,"  "  for 
that  matter,"  "  however,"  "  but,"  "  indeed,"  and  other 
words  in  continual  use  by  good  writers  in  connecting  their 
phrases.  When  used  skillfully  they  are  of  great  assist- 
ance in  producing  a  smoothly  flowing  effect;  but  great 
care  must  be  taken  not  to  overwork  these  aids,  for  when 
they  are  employed  too  much  they  spoil  the  compactness  of 
the  text. 


CHAPTER  V 

WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:  GOOD  FORM 
AND  BAD 

The  Meaning  of  Words. —  Certain  questions  are  likely 
to  arise  about  any  piece  of  writing,  whether  it  is  so-called 
literary  work,  a  personal  letter,  or  even  an  advertisement. 
The  first  question  is  rather  a  matter  of  course,  and  may 
be  asked  of  any  writing;  the  others  are  more  particular 
These  queries  are : 

What  is  meant  by  this  word  or  expression?  or,  Does 
this  word  express  what  was  intended? 

Might  not  some  other  word  or  phrase  convey  the  idea 
more  forcibly  or  agreeably? 

Could  not  all  this  have  been  said  in  fewer  words?  or, 
on  the  other  hand,  Have  words  enough  been  used  to 
make  the  meaning  clear? 

In  order  to  get  the  most  meaning  out  of  language,  one 
must  use  words  as  accurately  as  possible,  or  as  forcibly 
and  agreeably  as  may  be  suitable  to  the  occasion ;  and  at 
the  same  time,  he  should  train  himself  to  use  as  few  words 
as  he  can.  But  something  must  be  said  about  that  class 
of  words  that  are  regarded  by  all  educated  persons  as 
outside  of  the  limits  of  good  style.  These  are  called  bar- 
barisms, and  they  are  of  far  too  frequent  occurrence  in 
both  speaking  and  writing. 

Barbarisms. —  These  errors  of  speech  are  words  and 
phrases  that  are  not  English,  that  is,  that  are  either 
foreign  or  were  once  good  English,  or  they  are  words 
coined  on  an  English  foundation  but  not  yet  accepted  as 
a  part  of  the  body  of  our  language.  In  short,  a  bar- 

24 


WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:    GOOD  FORM  AND  BAD     25 

barism  is  a  word  or  a  phrase  not  in  good  use.  A  classi- 
fication of  barbarisms  might  comprehend  the  following : 

Foreign  words  for  which  there  are  good  English 
equivalents  far  preferable  to  be  used  in  English  writing. 

Obsolete  words,  such  as  "  foreword,"  which  is  an  af- 
fectation for  the  modern  word  "  preface." 

Coined  words,  such  as  wire,  for  "  telegraph  "  or  "  tele- 
gram," 'phone  for  "telephone,"  to  bike  ("to  ride  a 
bicycle"),  to  suicide  (to  commit  suicide). 

Slang  words,  like  dandy  and  fierce,  for  "  fine "  or 
"  excellent,"  "  bad  "  for  "  intolerable,"  invite  for  "  invita- 
tion," pants  for  "  trousers,"  size  up  for  "  estimate," 
kick  for  "  protest,"  etc. 

Besides  such  errors  as  the  few  instances  just  given, 
there  are  localisms  (belonging  to  special  regions  of  the 
country),  abbreviations,  used  largely  in  school  life,  and 
innumerable  vulgarisms,  of  which  it  is  of  course  impos- 
sible to  give  anything  like  a  complete  list.  Some  of  the 
more  objectionable,  on  one  ground  or  another,  will  be 
found  listed  alphabetically  on  pages  34  to  41. 

Dangers  of  Inaccuracy. —  Evidently,  the  first  thing 
in  giving  words  their  fullest  meaning  is  their  accurate 
use.  If,  as  with  many  young  persons,  dandy,  grand,  or 
classy  are  the  favorite  adjectives  to  express  praise ;  fierce, 
rotten,  or  punk  to  express  disapproval ;  if  grab  is  the  over- 
worked verb  to  denote  acquisition,  and  the  bunch  the 
favorite  common  collective  noun,  the  language  of  such 
young  people  is  likely  to  suffer  in  point  of  correctness 
and  good  style ;  and  if  this  habit  of  speech  is  persisted  in 
it  will  at  last  become  impossible  for  them  to  express  them- 
selves correctly,  or  even  to  think,  much  less  write,  with 
accuracy. 

Improprieties. —  Next  after  barbarisms  in  the  unde- 
sirable class  come  improprieties,  which  are  simply  good 
English  words  used  in  a  sense  that  is  not  English.  We 
hear  these  much  oftener  than  we  note  downright  bar- 
barisms. Of  course  if  a  person  possesses  only  a  very 


26         GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

meagre  vocabulary,  and  takes  no  pains  to  enlarge  it,  he  is 
likely  to  make  certain  words  do  work  for  which  they 
never  were  intended;  as,  dandy,  fierce,  rotten,  etc.  On 
the  other  hand,  one  may  have  a  fairly  large  vocabulary 
and  yet  use  it  so  carelessly  as  to  be  guilty  of  many  in- 
accuracies. In  this  way,  many  persons  will  commit  such 
improprieties  as  to  use  aggravate  for  "  provoke  "  or  "  irri- 
tate," transpire  for  "  happen,"  endorse  for  "  approve  " 
or  "  agree  with,"  etc. 

These  examples  show  the  variety  of  sources  from  which 
improprieties  may  arise,  such  as  the  slang  habit,  a  hanker- 
ing after  "  fine  writing,"  affectation,  and  other  causes. 
Therefore,  the  best  way  to  avoid  them  is  to  use  our  words 
in  as  definite  a  sense  as  possible,  and  let  it  be  remembered 
that  a  word  is  definite  when  the  limits  of  its  meaning  are 
well  understood.  A  vague  word,  or  a  word  susceptible 
of  more  than  one  definition,  is  one  in  which  the 
boundaries  of  meaning  are  not  clear,  or  to  which  several 
meanings  may  be  given  in  any  one  passage,  thereby  crea- 
ting confusion.  The  rest  of  the  text  in  a  sentence  has 
much  to  do  with  the  matter  of  vagueness,  uncertainty, 
and  indefiniteness  in  any  phrase  employed.  But  it  may 
be  set  down  as  a  rule  that  the  shorter,  more  familiar,  and 
more  specific  word  is  likely  to  be  more  definite  than  the 
long,  the  sonorous,  and  the  general  word.  Burn  or  eat 
are  more  definite  words  than  "consume;"  fall,  throw, 
or  hurl  than  "precipitate,"  legs  than  "lower  limbs," 
coffin  than  "  casket." 

Overworked  Words. —  It  is  impossible  to  mention 
here  all  the  undesirable  things  in  word  usage,  but  one 
curious  and  particularly  bad  custom  may  be  specially 
noted,  since  it  has  become  common  in  all  sorts  of  writing, 
and  is  seen  every  day  in  the  work  of  reporters  for  the 
newspapers.  This  is  the  habit,  alluded  to  before,  of 
using  a  specific  word  to  cover  a  number  of  acts  best  de- 
scribed by  other  specific  words.  Take  the  word  grab, 
for  instance.  This  little  word  has  to  do  duty  for  touch, 


WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:    GOOD  FORM  AND  BAD     27 

seise,  take,  assume,  lift,  lay  hold  of,  steal,  remove,  and 
several  other  perfectly  good  English  words.  Another 
overworked  word  is  start,  which  is  used  indiscriminately 
to  express  the  beginning  of  anything.  To  read  much  of 
modern  newspaper  writing,  one  would  think  that  our  lan- 
guage had  no  such  words  as  begin,  prepare,  open,  set  out, 
set  forth,  originate,  establish,  enter  upon,  or  attempt. 
The  best  use  of  the  word  start  (aside  from  the  meaning 
of  making  a  sudden  physical  movement)  is  to  signify  the 
beginning  of  motion  by  some  force  other  than  that  which 
continues  it.  An  engineer  opens  a  throttle  and  starts  a 
train  on  its  way;  in  broaching  a  cask  of  liquor,  a  man 
starts  the  bung  with  a  mallet;  the  person  that  gives  the 
signal  to  be  off  at  a  race  starts  the  race.  But,  speaking 
correctly,  he  opens  or  establishes  a  dry-goods  shop  —  he 
does  not  start  it.  Particularly  bad,  though  very  common, 
is  the  addition  of  the  prepositions  in  or  out  to  the  word 
start.  Many  writers  never  say  that  a  man  begins  a  cam- 
paign of  reform  in  city  politics,  for  instance ;  he  starts  in 
on  the  campaign,  or  he  starts  out  to  make  things  better. 
Why  in  or  out,  or  why  starts  at  all?  The  same  kind  of 
writers  say  of  a  woman,  "  She  started  to  sob,"  instead  of 
"  She  began  to  weep."  This  senseless  over-working  of 
one  word  is  the  formula  for  much  slang;  it  is  the  desire 
to  get  more  meaning  out  of  the  word  than  usage  ever 
thought  of  putting  into  it.  Persistence  in  such  a  prac- 
tice results  in  impoverishing  one's  vocabulary  and  even  his 
thoughts.  Besides,  continual  repetition  becomes  monot- 
onous, and  one's  meaning  is  greatly  helped  by  variety 
in  wording.  New  phrases,  provided  they  express  the 
true  meaning,  are  pleasant  and  piquant.  A  simple  test 
of  the  tediousness  of  much  repetition  is  merely  to  read 
aloud,  with  emphasis  laid  on  the  repeated  words,  the  con- 
tinual repetition  of  the  pronoun  I,  or  some  small  noun,  or 
some  particular  adjective,  which  will  show  the  crudeness 
of  too  frequent  repetition ;  although,  if  repetition  is  some- 
times necessary  for  emphasis  and  exactness,  such  stress 


28         GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

on  the  repeated  word  will  serve  to  bring  its  meaning  out 
more  clearly. 

Euphemism  and  "Fine  Writing." — These  are  very 
common  sins  against  definiteness  and  compactness.  A 
euphemism  is  an  expression  used  with  the  intention  of 
disguising  or  palliating  facts  or  thoughts  regarded  as  un- 
pleasant or  disagreeable,  and  the  reason  why  it  is  objec- 
tionable is  because  it  uses  general  and  inexact  terms 
where  specific  and  definite  words  are  needed.  Many 
persons  appear  to  have  a  strange  dislike  of  using  such 
words  as  "  born,  "  go  to  bed,"  "  die,"  "  wash,"  and  for 
these  and  other  good  and  honest  English  words  they 
substitute  entered  upon  the  stage  of  life,  ushered  into  this 
world,  retire,  seek  his  pillow,  depart  from  this  vale  of 
tears,  pass  away  or  pass  on,  shuffle  off  this  mortal  coil, 
perform  one's  ablutions,  etc.  Sometimes  it  may  be  neces- 
sary to  use  certain  euphemisms  in  order  to  break  bad 
news  in  a  gentle  way ;  but  in  general  euphemisms  are  to 
be  shunned. 

For  that  form  of  expression  called  "fine  writing" 
there  is  no  excuse.  It  usually  arises  from  a  love  of  pre- 
tentious posing  or  a  sadly  mistaken  sense  of  humor,  and 
substitutes  vague,  general  expressions,  "  high-polite " 
phrases,  and  roundabout  sentences  for  the  simple  words 
that  would  ordinarily  be  employed.  Used  with  humorous 
intention,  "  fine  writing  "  sometimes  calls  forth  much  in- 
genuity and  causes  amusement ;  but  among  discriminating 
persons  the  literary  style  that  indulges  in  disastrous  con- 
flagration when  an  ordinary  fire  is  meant,  in  the  fatal 
chair  for  the  electric  method  of  executing  criminals, 
downy  couch  for  a  simple  bed,  aqueous  fluid  for  plain 
water,  is  regarded  as  extremely  crude  and  tiresome. 

Redundancy,  Tautology,  and  Pleonasm, —  Meaning 
is  lost  not  only  through  vagueness  and  the  use  of  ab- 
surdly pretentious  words;  it  is  lost  also  by  using  too 
many  words.  Euphemisms  and  fine  writing  are  usually 
expressions  for  which  simpler  and  shorter  forms  would 


WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:   GOOD  FORM  AND  BAD     29 

answer.  Redundancy  is  the  use  of  too  many  words  or 
unnecessary  ideas.  Certain  recognized  forms  of  re- 
dundancy may  be  defined  as  coming  under  the  heads  of 
tautology  and  pleonasm. 

Tautology  is  a  mere  repetition  of  the  same  idea  in  dif- 
ferent words.  It  is  commonly  used  in  legal  writing,  but 
should  be  avoided  carefully  in  elegant  composition. 

Pleonasm  means  the  expression  of  an  idea  that  has 
been  already  distinctly  expressed  in  the  same  sentence. 
A  well-known  historian  writes :  "  Fortune  gave  him  the 
means  in  after  life  of  verifying  the  truth  of  this  asser- 
tion." As  verify  means  to  prove  true,  the  author  should 
have  omitted  the  words  "  the  truth  of,"  which  are  pleo- 
nastic. The  commonest  case  of  pleonasm  is  the  persistent 
and  inelegant  use  of  the  participle.  Every  day,  in  con- 
versation and  in  print,  we  have  the  form  of  expression 
"  after  having  done,"  "  after  having  walked,"  "  after 
having  thought,"  instead  of  "  having  done,"  or  "  after  do- 
ing," "  having  walked,"  or  "  after  walking,"  "  having 
thought,"  or  "  after  thinking,"  etc.  This  is  an  error  of 
which  nearly  every  translator  of  French  is  guilty,  for 
the  reason  that  the  perfectly  correct  French  form,  "apres 
avoir  marche  "  (literally,  after  to  have  walked)  appears 
to  them  translatable  in  no  other  way.  The  English  form 
is  a  pleonasm,  however,  and  in  making  translations  from 
the  French  you  will  do  well  to  be  on  your  guard  against 
falling  into  this  common  error.  Another  form  of 
pleonasm  is  the  redundant  particle :  as,  win  out,  for  win; 
try  out,  for  try;  divide  up,  rise  up,  fall  down,  high  up. 
low  down.  A  moment's  thought  will  show  that  nothing 
rises  down;  then  why  say  up?  Nothing  falls  up;  then 
why  say  down?  The  use  of  the  word  far  to  express  dis- 
tance of  both  height  and  depth  is  preferable  to  high  and 
low;  write  far  up  and  far  down  rather  than  high  up  and 
low  down,  since  far  expresses  distance  in  either  direction. 

Vocabulary. —  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  any 
person  with  a  desire  to  write  well  should  try  to  acquire  a 


30         GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

knowledge  of  as  many  words  as  possible  and  to  know  all 
the  meanings  of  these  words.  Every  person  of  any  pre- 
tension to  intellectual  culture  may  be  said  to  have  three 
vocabularies:  the  speaking,  the  writing,  and  the  reading. 
The  speaking  vocabulary  is  the  simplest  of  the  three,  and 
probably  with  most  persons  a  few  hundred  words  are 
enough  for  actual  use.  Our  writing  vocabulary  is  much 
larger  and  more  accurate,  this  being  the  result  of  more 
careful  thinking  and  probable  revision  of  the  written 
words.  Our  reading  vocabulary  is  many  times  larger 
than  either  the  speaking  or  the  writing  vocabulary,  since 
a  fairly  well  educated  person  should  be  able  to  recognize 
forty  or  fifty  thousand  English  words.  The  matter  of 
acquiring  a  wide  speaking  vocabulary  is  to  transfer  as 
many  of  the  reading  words  as  possible  to  the  writing  and 
speaking  lists.  To  do  this  one  should  read  widely  in 
good  literature,  well- written  history,  books  of  travel  or 
science  —  in  short,  any  good  writing,  both  serious  and 
humorous.  Find  out  the  meaning  of  words  that  are  not 
clear,  make  note  of  the  definition,  and  try  to  fix  it  in  the 
meaning.  The  best  and  easiest  way  to  do  this  studying 
of  words  is  in  a  dictionary.  If  you  have  not  an  un- 
abridged dictionary,  use  a  small  one.  Keep  this  within 
easy  reach;  form  the  habit  of  turning  to  it  whenever  in 
your  reading  or  writing  you  encounter  a  word  in  respect 
to  which  you  have  the  least  doubt.  Read  the  definition 
through  until  you  have  found  the  precise  shade  of  mean- 
ing that  you  think  you  want.  If  it  is  not  there,  hunt  up 
one  or  more  synonyms.  Practise  all  the  new  words  that 
you  learn,  in  both  writing  and  speaking.  Make  a  study 
of  their  synonyms  also,  and  try  to  discriminate  among 
them,  in  order  to  choose  exactly  the  right  word  to  express 
your  thought. 

Construction  of  Sentences. —  A  sentence  that  makes 
its  mark  most  effectively,  or  carries  along  the  idea  in  the 
best  way,  conforms  to  three  principles,  which,  however, 


WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:    GOOD  FORM  AND  BAD     31 

are  of  endless  variety  in  application.  Again,  these  prin- 
ciples are  unity,  coherence,  and  emphasis. 

In  accordance  with  the  principle  of  unity,  a  sentence 
should  be  about  one  thing  —  that  is,  it  should  contain  at 
least  one  definite  idea.  To  know  what  you  wish  each  sen- 
tence to  express,  enabling  the  reader  to  see  what  the  sen- 
tence is  about  —  that  is,  of  course,  the  first  rule  of 
sentence-writing.  This  is  the  main  rule  of  unity.  De- 
cide exactly  what  each  sentence  is  to  do,  and  save  other 
ideas  for  other  sentences.  This  does  not  mean  that  all 
sentences  should  be  of  simple  declarative  or  interrogative 
form,  but  that  there  should  be  one  dominating  idea,  how- 
ever much  that  idea  should  be  limited  or  modified. 

Coherence  in  a  sentence  means  that  the  relation  of  its 
parts,  or  phrases,  should  be  made  as  clear  as  possible, 
that  ideas  that  belong  together  should  go  together,  and 
as  far  as  possible  should  be  firmly  connected.  Incoher- 
ence is  annoying  and  often  ludicrous  in  effect.  A  sen- 
tence is  likely  to  be  incoherent  from  several  causes:  it 
may  be  ungrammatical ;  the  connective  words  may  not  be 
correctly  used,  or  the  modifying  clauses  may  not  be 
placed  where  they  belong. 

The  use  of  "  It "  or  "  They  "  in  beginning  a  sentence, 
followed  by  the  antecedent  of  the  pronoun,  is  a  common 
practice,  undesirable  for  its  lack  of  immediate  clear- 
ness, however  slight  that  may  be,  as :  "  He  and  his 
father,  having  stayed  long  enough,  Henry  made  a  move- 
ment to  go,"  "  His  enemy  having  entered  the  room,  John 
decided  that  he  would  leave  it."  Incoherence  is  likely 
to  entangle  a  writer  at  any  moment,  and  the  successful 
avoidance  of  this  pitfall  is  a  good  test  of  care  in  writing. 

The  application  of  emphasis  to  the  forming  of  sen- 
tences means  simply  that  unnecessary  words  and  ideas 
will  be  eliminated,  and  that  to  the  main  ideas  the  most 
important  places  will  be  given.  In  short  sentences  em- 
phasis is  a  simple  matter.  "  The  bird  flies  "  cannot  be 


32  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

improved,  for  the  only  change  possible  would  be  a  very 
un-English  form,  "  Flies  the  bird."  When  modifying 
phrases  are  added,  the  question  of  position,  or  periodicity, 
becomes  important.  A  sentence  shows  periodicity  of  ar- 
rangement when  it  is  so  constructed  that  the  principal 
thought  comes  last,  and  the  meaning  is  not  revealed  until 
the  end  of  the  sentence  is  reached.  Still,  though  it  is 
the  more  natural  form  to  put  the  subject  first  and  the 
predicate  last,  it  may  sometimes  make  better  emphasis  to 
begin  with  the  dependent  clause,  for  the  sake  of  contrast 
or  harmonious  sound.  Speaking  generally,  the  periodic 
sentence  is  likely  to  be  better  emphasized  than  the  loosely 
constructed  sentence,  for  the  reason  that  it  usually  carries 
its  own  emphasis. 

Examples  of  Loose  Construction  and  Lack  of  Peri- 
odicity.—  One  of  the  worst  pitfalls  leading  to  loose  con- 
struction, awkward  phrasing,  and  lack  of  periodicity  is 
the  erroneous  and  all  too  common  use  of  the  word 
"  there."  Employed  as  an  expletive  or  (mistakenly)  as  a 
word  of  euphony,  it  is  not  only  unnecessary  but  clumsy, 
and  actually  spoils  the  euphony  of  a  sentence.  No  phrase 
that  can  be  constructed  properly  without  it  ever  should 
contain  it.  Take  the  familiar  translation  of  a  famous 
saying  of  Socrates :  "  There  can  no  evil  befall  a  good 
man ; "  it  is  difficult  to  understand  how  the  translator 
could  have  been  so  clumsy  in  his  use  of  English.  Why 
did  he  not  write  the  simple  and  natural  phrase,  "  No  evil 
can  befall  a  good  man  ?  "  Avoid  such  forms  as  the  fol- 
lowing, which  are  typical  of  much  careless  writing : 

"  There  was  no  such  thing  possible  for  him ; "  "  In 
1913  there  appeared  in  print  several  articles  on  the  sub- 
ject;" "There  will  nothing  be  published  anywhere  like 
it "  (an  example  from  a  great  New  York  newspaper  once 
famous  for  its  good  English)  ;  "  There  fell  to  the  ground 
the  tallest  tree  in  the  forest."  Writers  that  use  this  awk- 
ward form  probably  do  so  with  a  vague  idea  that  it  can- 
not be  avoided  if  the  sentence  is  to  be  made  periodic. 


WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:    GOOD  FORM  AND  BAD     33 

But  a  little  care  in  construction  shows  that  it  can  nearly 
always  be  avoided.  Thus : 

"  No  such  thing  was  possible  for  him;  "  "  In  1913  sev- 
eral articles  on  the  subject  appeared  in  print;"  "Noth- 
ing like  it  will  be  published  anywhere ; "  "The  tallest  tree 
in  the  forest  fell  to  the  ground."  A  rearrangement  of 
almost  any  sentence  containing  there,  used  in  the  awk- 
ward way  illustrated  above,  will  show  that  it  has  no  legi- 
timate place  in  the  phrase  and  cannot  be  parsed  where 
it  stands.  Examples  of  correct  usage  of  "  there  "  are : 
"  There  is  a  land  of  pure  delight ; "  "  There's  a  woman 
like  a  dewdrop  "  (Browning). 

But  a  common,  hackneyed  figure  of  speech  becomes  dis- 
agreeable in  proportion  to  the  degree  in  which  it  is  used. 
A  person  with  a  good  memory,  and  with  some  acquaint- 
ance with  Shakespeare,  may  make  himself  a  dreaded 
nuisance  simply  through  his  persistent  phrasing  of  his 
own  ideas  in  the  language  of  him  of  whom  he  invariably 
speaks  as  "  the  immortal  bard  of  Avon."  Language  that 
is  either  obsolete  or  grown  stale  is  to  be  avoided.  "  The 
children  of  poverty,"  "the  observed  of  all  observers," 
"  a  sweet  girl  graduate,"  "  this  vale  of  tears,"  and  most 
slang  phrases,  belong  in  this  class.  Besides  these,  the 
continual  use  of  stock  phrases,  of  technical  terms,  and 
high-flown  words  that  have  become  commonplace,  shows 
a  lack  of  good  taste,  to  say  nothing  of  a  woeful  want  of 
originality.  Every  day  we  read  or  hear  overworked 
learned  words  —  for  instance,  environment,  evolution,  at- 
mosphere, temperament,  etc.,  the  users  of  which  probably 
flatter  themselves  that  they  are  expressing  their  thoughts 
in  the  best  manner  possible.  Db  not  fall  into  this  error ; 
do  not  use  these  words  and  their  like  unless  you  are  sure 
that  no  other  word  would  appropriately  express  your 
meaning. 

Hackneyed  Words  and  Undesirable  Phrases  to  be 
Avoided. —  We  wish  to  call  particular  attention  to  words 
and  phrases  which  for  various  reasons  one  should  avoid 


34  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

in  any  attempt  at  good  writing  or  elegant  speech. 
Speaking  generally,  there  are  but  two  justifications  for 
the  use  of  many  ordinary  phrases  that  appear  in  nearly 
every  newspaper  and  in  many  modern  works  of  fiction : 
Either  they  are  so  commonly  used,  so  much  a  part  of  our 
ordinary  talk  that  we  do  not  notice  them  as  unusual,  or 
they  are  so  bright  and  pointed  that  their  occasional  use 
is  warranted. 

The  following  selection  of  certain  undesirable  forms 
of  speech  includes  many  that  are  placed  on  the  forbidden 
list  of  some  of  the  magazines  and  newspapers  of  the  bet- 
ter class.  This  means  that  no  one  connected  with  these 
publications  is  supposed  to  use  them  in  preparing  his 
"  copy  "  for  the  printer ;  if  he  does,  they  are  almost  cer- 
tain to  be  discovered  and  struck  out  by  the  editor  or  the 
proofreader  before  the  article  finds  it  way  into  print.  A 
careful  study  of  this  Index  Expurgatorius  will  prove  a 
useful  guide  to  an  inexperienced  writer  in  showing  him 
what  not  to  write  in  the  story,  essay,  or  special  article 
that  he  may  be  preparing  to  send  to  an  editor. 

WORDS  AND  PHRASES  TO  BE  AVOIDED 

"A"  in  a  sentence  like  "What  kind  of  a  bird  is  it?" 
"  What  kind  of  a  coat  did  you  buy  ?  "  You  mean  "  What 
kind  of  bird  is  it?  "  etc. 

"  Above  "  in  the  sense  of  more  than  or  the  foregoing. 
Do  not  say,  "  It  cost  above  a  hundred  dollars  "  or  "  Ac- 
cording to  the  above  statement."  Use  "more  than  a 
hundred  dollars  "  in  the  first  instance,  and  "  the  forego- 
ing statement "  or  "  the  statement  given  above  "  in  the 
second.  "  Above "  is  a  preposition,  and  should  not  be 
used  as  an  adjective. 

"  Affair  "  for  thing  or  occasion.  Do  not  say  "  This 
watch  is  a  pretty  little  affair ; "  "  The  convention  was  a 
notable  affair." 

"  Along  these  lines  "  and  "  hard  lines."  Both  phrases 
have  been  worn  threadbare,  and  "  hard  lines  "  is  slang. 


WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:    GOOD  FORM  AND  BAD     35 

"  Anxious  "  for  desirous.  "  Anxious  "  always  implies 
anxiety,  suffering  from  suspense,  etc.  Do  not  say,  "  I 
am  not  anxious  to  travel ; "  "  He  is  anxious  to  see  that 
play." 

"At  length"  for  at  last.  "At  length"  means  ex- 
tended ;  at  last  means  ultimately. 

"  Averse  from  "  for  averse  to. 

"As  though"  for  as  if.  Example  (erroneous): 
"  His  clothing  is  as  wet  as  [it  would  be]  though  he  had 
fallen  into  the  river."  Example  (correct)  :  "  His  cloth- 
ing is  as  wet  as  [it  would  be]  if  he  had  fallen  into  the 
river."  The  reason  for  this  distinction  may  be  more 
clearly  understood  when  it  is  known  that  "  though,"  and 
"  although  "  imply  negation,  and  that  both  words  mean 
notzvithstanding;  whereas  the  proper  conjunction,  if,  used 
in  this  sense,  means  given  or  granted.  It  will  be  seen  at 
once  that  "  notwithstanding,"  and  its  synonyms  "  though  " 
and  "  although,"  would  make  nonsense  of  such  a  sentence. 
Yet  no  error  so  glaringly  ungrammatical  is  found  oftener 
in  all  kinds  of  writing. 

"  Aware  "  for  conscious  and  "  conscious  "  for  aware. 
"  Aware  "  means  observance  of  outward  things ;  "  con- 
scious "  means  inward  conviction. 

"  Balance  "  for  remainder.  "  Balance  "  is  a  technical 
term  in  bookkeeping,  and  it  does  not  mean  "  remainder." 
It  means  the  amount  that  one  must  add  to  one  side  of  an 
account  in  order  to  make  it  equal  to  the  other  side.  Do 
not  say,  "  He  took  part  of  the  fruit  and  left  me  the  bal- 
ance ;  "  "  They  stayed  the  balance  of  the  week." 

"  Bogus  "  for  spurious.     "  Bogus  "  is  a  mere  vulgarism. 

"  Centre  around  "  for  centre  in  or  upon;  concentrate. 
A  centre  may  be  regarded  as  a  geographical  or  geometrical 
point,  and  an  instant's  thought  will  show  that  it  is  impos- 
sible for  a  centre  to  go  around  itself. 

"  Claim  "  in  the  sense  of  declare,  assert,  say,  maintain, 
contend,  believe,  argue.  This  is  a  common  vulgarism 
among  "  hack "  writers  that  overwork  certain  words. 


36  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

"  He  claims  that  he  has  the  best  horse,"  "  He  claims  to 
have  heard  the  news  first,"  "  Astronomers  claim  that  Jupi- 
ter is  larger  than  Venus  and  the  Earth  combined."  These 
phrases  should  be  "  He  asserts  that  he  has,"  etc.,  "  He 
declares  that  he  has,"  etc.,  "  Astronomers  say,"  etc. 

"Commence"  for  begin.  These  words  are  synony- 
mous, and,  since  "  commence  "  is  from  the  French  verb 
commencer  and  begin  is  an  old  Saxon  word,  "  commence  " 
might  well  be  dropped  from  our  language,  as  it  has  a 
clumsy,  affected  sound  and  appearance.  Only  custom 
justifies  "  commencement "  in  connection  with  college 
exercises,  and  even  then  it  means  not  a  beginning  but  an 
ending  of  a  college  year. 

"  Common  or  garden  variety  "  for  common  or  ordinary 
kind."  This  phrase  might  have  been  mildly  amusing 
when  it  was  used  first,  but  it  has  been  so  persistently 
overworked  by  would-be  wits  of  the  newspapers  —  every 
one  of  whom  appears  to  think  that  he  is  saying  something 
highly  original  and  clever  —  that  the  very  sight  of  it  is 
irritating.  Shun  such  cheap  phrases  as  you  would  avoid 
a  lapse  in  grammar. 

"  Dates  back  to  "  for  dates  from.  "  It  dates  back  to 
the  tenth  century  "  should  be  "  It  dates  from  the  tenth 
century."  Time  moves  forward,  not  backward. 

"  Differ  from  "  for  differ  with,  and  conversely.  "  Dif- 
fer from  "  applies  to  that  which  relates  to  outward  ap- 
pearance ;  "  differ  with  "  to  whatever  relates  to  the  mind. 

"  Disembark  "  for  debark,  and  "  disentangle  "  for  un- 
tangle. 

"  Donate  "  for  give.  This  verb  was  ignorantly  manu- 
factured from  the  noun  donation,  and  it  never  should  be 
used  in  the  place  of  the  good  Saxon  word  give.  It  is  a 
favorite  with  those  that  incline  to  "  fine  writing." 

"  Generally  "  when  usually  is  meant.  "  Generally  " 
refers  to  space  and  area ;  "  usually  "  to  time  and  habit. 
Say  "  That  custom  is  generally  followed,"  meaning  that 
it  is  followed  by  many  persons  scattered  over  a  wide 


WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:    GOOD  FORM  AND  BAD     37 

area ;  but  say  "  I  usually  follow  his  advice,"  "  I  usually 
go  there  once  a  week." 

"  He  was  given  a  dinner,"  "  He  was  made  to  under- 
stand," for  "  A  dinner  was  given  to  him,"  "  They  made 
him  understand,"  etc. 

"  If  "  for  whether.  Do  not  say  "  I  do  not  know  if  he 
will  come ;  "  say  "  I  do  not  know  whether  he  will  come." 
Avoid  "  We  do  not  know  if  he  will  be  pleased ;  "  say  "  We 
do  not  know  whether  he  will  be  pleased."  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  add  "  or  not "  after  "  whether  " — "  I  do  not  know 
whether  he  will  come  or  not."  It  may  be  used  if  desired ; 
but  whether  is  sufficient. 

"  Immense "  for  vast,  enormous,  huge,  etc.  "  Im- 
mense "  belongs  to  things  that  are  immeasurable,  as  the 
ocean,  the  sky,  illimitable  space.  Do  not  confuse  the 
meaning  of  "  enormity "  with  enormous,  which  means 
simply  out  of  the  normal,  whereas  "  enormity  "  means  an 
outrageous  act  or  a  serious  offence.  Do  not  use  a  form 
like  "  He  was  astonished  at  the  enormity  of  the  man- 
sion," meaning  the  vastness  of  the  structure.  Use 
"  enormity  "  only  in  such  a  sense  as  "  The  enormity  of 
the  offence  shocked  them." 

"  In  so  far  as  "  for  so  far  as. 

"  Indorse  "  in  the  sense  of  adopt,  agree  with,  or  ap- 
prove. 

"  Infinitely "  except  in  the  true  sense  of  infinity. 
Avoid  a  phrase  like  "  She  is  infinitely  cleverer  than  he." 

"  Jeopardize  "  for  to  jeopard.  "  To  jeopard  his  inter- 
ests "  is  the  correct  infinitive  form  of  this  verb. 

"  In  spite  of "  for  despite,  unless  referring  to  ma- 
licious action  or  intent. 

"  Later  on  "  and  "  From  now  on  "  for  later  and  hence- 
forth. 

"  Lengthways  "  and  "  sideways  "  for  lengthwise  and 
sidewise. 

"  Less  than "  when  referring  to  specified  numbers. 
Use  fewer  than. 


38         GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

"  Numerous  "  for  many  or  large.  Do  not  say  "  We 
have  numerous  acquaintances,"  but  "  We  have  a  large  ac- 
quaintance "  or  "  a  numerous  acquaintance"  Not  "  Nu- 
merous cattle  were  in  the  field,"  but  "  Many  cattle  were  in 
the  field,"  or  "  The  cattle  in  the  field  were  numerous" 

"  Of  from  "  for  from,  as,  "  Several  children,  of  from 
six  to  twelve  years  old,  appeared."  Omit  "  of  "  or  say 
"  whose  ages  ranged  from  six,"  etc. 

"  Old  veteran "  for  veteran.  This  pleonasm  appears 
in  the  newspapers  as  regularly  as  Memorial  Day  comes 
round. 

"  Only "  is  frequently  misplaced  before  the  verb  in- 
stead of  after  it,  in  such  sentences  as  "  John  had  only 
gone  out  for  a  moment,"  instead  of  "  John  had  gone  out 
[for  how  long?]  only  for  a  moment."  Again,  "  He  only 
saw  the  play  once,"  instead  of  "  He  saw  the  play  [how 
many  times  ?]  only  once."  "  I  shall  only  marry  him  for 
the  sake  of  his  rank,"  instead  of  "  I  shall  marry  him  [for 
what  reason?]  only  for  the  sake  of  his  rank."  When 
only  qualifies  the  verb,  it  should  be  placed  after  the 
verb. 

"  On  behalf "  for  in  behalf.  We  do  not  say  "  He 
spoke  on  the  interest  of  the  people,"  "  He  pleaded  on  de- 
fence of  the  prisoner,"  nor  "  He  appeared  on  place  of  his 
brother."  Yet  this  is  a  very  common  error. 

"  Onto  "  for  on  or  upon,  though  "  on  to  "  may  be  used 
in  their  proper  meaning  —  that  of  progression. 

"  Ought "  for  should,  and  conversely.  These  words 
should  not  be  used  indiscriminately.  Ought  is  the 
stronger  term;  what  we  ought  to  do  we  are  morally 
bound  to  do  as  a  matter  of  duty.  We  ought  to  be  truth- 
ful and  honest;  we  should  repair  a  leaky  roof,  or  we 
should  look  after  a  smoky  chimney. 

"  Party,"  "  parties,"  or  "  people  "  in  the  sense  of  per- 
son or  persons. 

"  Per  "  for  a.     Unless  "  per  "  is  followed  by  a  Latin 


WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:    GOOD  FORM  AND  BAD     39 

word,  use  a.  Say  "  The  rent  is  a  thousand  dollars  a 
year  "  or  "  a  thousand  dollars  per  annum. 

"  Thone  "  for  telephone;  "  'photo  "  for  photograph. 

"  Position  "  for  place,  office,  employment,  engagement, 
station,  rank.  This  word  is  as  unmercifully  overworked 
as  start.  Discriminate  among  its  synonymns. 

"  Posted  "  for  informed  or  well  informed. 

"  Practically "  for  virtually,  substantially,  in  effect. 
"  Practically "  should  be  reserved  for  the  opposite  of 
"  theoretically." 

"  Remains  "  for  corpse  or  body.  "  Remains  "  belongs 
with  the  euphemism  "  casket." 

"  Rocker  "  for  rocking-chair,  "  dresser "  for  bureau 
or  toilet-table.  Both  are  Americanisms,  and  both  should 
be  confined  to  colloquial  written  dialogue.  Other  ob- 
jectionable Americanisms  are  "  auto  "  for  automobile  or 
motor-car,  "  depot "  (pronounced  dee-po)  for  railway 
station,  "  fall "  for  autumn,  "  vest "  and  "  pants  "  for 
•waistcoat  and  trousers. 

"  Seem  "  for  appear,  and  conversely.  The  distinction 
is  the  same  as  that  between  "  aware  "  and  "  conscious." 
That  which  seems  is  in  the  mind ;  that  which  appears  is 
external. 

"  So. . .  .as  "  for  "  as. . .  .as,"  and  conversely.  In  an 
affirmative  phrase,  as,  "  This  is  as  good  as  that,"  use  as; 
in  a  negative  phrase,  as  "  This  is  not  so  good  as  that," 
use  so.  .  .  .as." 

"  Some  twenty  miles  "  (or  any  specified  number)  for 
about  twenty  [miles]  or  twenty-odd  [miles]. 

"  Standpoint "  or  "  viewpoint "  for  point  of  view. 

"  Such  "  for  so.  Avoid  a  construction  like  "  I  never 
have  seen  such  a  large  dog."  A  transposition  of  these 
words  would  give  "  I  never  have  seen  a  dog  such  large," 
which  proves  that  the  correct  form  is  "  I  never  have  seen 
so  large  a  dog  "  or  "  a  dog  so  large."  "  Such  "  refers  to 
kind  or  quality,  and  "  so  "  to  degree. 


4O  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

"  Sunup  "  and  "  sundown  "  for  sunrise  and  sunset. 

"  Transpire  "  for  happen,  take  place,  occur.  A  piece 
of  news  or  gossip  "  transpires  "  when  it  leaks  out  unex- 
pectedly ;  but  events  happen  or  take  place. 

"  Their "  for  him  or  her  when  used  after  any  one, 
each,  either,  every,  neither,  nobody,  no  one,  or  not  one  as 
the  subject  of  a  sentence.  These  words  require  a  pro- 
noun in  the  singular  number,  as,  "If  anyone  wishes  to 
object,  let  him  rise"  (not  them).  "Every  one  of  them 
gave  her  consent;  "  "  Each  must  decide  for  himself  "  (not 
themselves) . 

"  Those  sort,"  "  those  kind  "  for  that  sort,  that  kind. 
"  Kind  "  and  "  sort "  are  nouns  in  the  singular  number, 
whereas  "  those  "  is  obviously  in  the  plural ;  hence  their 
conjunction,  as  in  "  I  do  not  like  those  sort  of  men,"  is 
a  solecism  as  distressing  as  "  them  sort "  would  be. 

"  Try  an  experiment "  for  make  an  experiment.  To 
"  try  an  experiment "  is  equivalent  to  "  try  a  trial," 
since  an  experiment  is  nothing  else  than  a  trial  in  itself. 

"  Try  and  "  for  try  to.  Do  not  say  "  I  will  try  and 
go ; "  say  "  I  will  try  to  go,"  for  the  reason  that  the  verb 
following  "  try  "  should  always  be  in  the  infinitive. 

"  Under  the  circumstances  "  for  in  the  circumstances, 
or  under  the  conditions. 

"  Voice "  for  speak,  express,  or  say,  or  any  word  to 
denote  speech.  Never  say  "  He  voiced  his  sentiments," 
or  "  Do  not  voice  that  thought,"  for  the  reason  that  it  is 
not  good  English  to  make  the  noun  do  the  duty  of  a  verb, 
since  many  other  words  exist  that  express  speech. 

"  Wash  down  "  for  drink.  This  is  a  highly  inelegant 
phrase,  if  not  a  positive  vulgarism  —  avoid  it. 

"  While "  for  whereas  or  though.  "  While  "  means 
only  "  during  the  time  that,"  and  is  not  synonymous  with 
the  two  words  it  often  supplants.  Do  not  use  a  form  like 
"  While  she  was  fond  of  him,  she  was  not  demonstrative." 
Say  "  Though  she  was,"  etc.,  or,  in  an  argumentative 
tone,  say  "  whereas." 


WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:    GOOD  FORM  AND  BAD     41 

"  Wire  "  for  send  a  telegram. 

"  Would  seem "  or  "  should  seem "  for  seem.  No 
reason  exists  for  using  the  redundant  auxiliaries  "  would  " 
and  "  should,"  since  seem  expresses  the  same  idea  con- 
cisely and  exactly.  In  a  sentence  like  "  The  police  would 
seem  to  be  unable  to  find  the  murderer,"  the  apparent 
meaning  is  that  the  police  are  not  really  trying  to  find  him, 
but  are  only  seeming  to  be  trying  to  do  so.  The  sentence 
should  be  "  The  police  seem  to  be  unable  to  find  the  mur- 
derer," unless  the  meaning  intended  is  that  they  are  try- 
ing not  to  find  him.,  when  the  use  of  "  would  seem  "  would 
be  correct. 

Common  Errors  in  Grammar. —  Certain  pitfalls  in  the 
English  language  may  be  avoided  by  a  careful  study  of 
the  following  lists  of  the  more  common  of  these : 

Shall  and  Will:  Should  and  Would, —  The  nice  dis- 
tinctions that  should  be  made  between  these  auxiliaries 
are  rather  complicated,  and  these  words  are  often  mis- 
understood or  disregarded  even  by  persons  of  good  edu- 
cation. This  failure  to  apprehend  the  correct  usage  of 
these  auxiliaries  sometimes  produces  effects  that  are  abso- 
lutely shocking  in  the  speech  and  writing  of  such  persons. 
The  chief  difficulty  lies  in  the  use  of  the  first  person  (/ 
shall) ,  where  there  is  a  widespread  tendency  —  especially 
among  newspaper  writers  —  to  use  will  instead  of  shall 
to  express  the  simple  future  tense.  Four  rules  give  the 
correct  usage  of  shall  and  will  in  a  few  words : 

1.  Shall,  in  an  affirmative  sentence,  when  used  in  the 
first  person  (/  shall),  denotes  the  simple  future:  "  I  shall 
go,"  "  I  shall  not  go." 

Will,  in  an  affirmative  sentence,  in  the  second  and  third 
persons  (you  will;  he  or  they  "will),  also  announces  merely 
future  action :  "  You  will  be  pleased  to  know  this ;  "  "  You 
will  soon  be  of  age ; "  "  They  will  go  with  us." 

2.  Shall,  in  an  affirmative  sentence,  in  the  second  and 
third  persons  (you  shall;  he  or  they  shall},  announces  the 
speaker's  determination  to  control :  "  You  shall  hear  what 


42  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

I  have  to  say :  "  He  shall  go  with  me ;  "  "  They  shall  do 
it,  whether  they  wish  to  of  not." 

Will,  in  an  affirmative  sentence,  in  the  first  person  (/ 
will),  expresses  a  promise,  announces  the  speaker's  de- 
termination to  control,  or  declares  a  resolution :  "  I  will 
(I  promise  to)  help  you;  "  "  I  will  (I  am  determined  to) 
have  what  belongs  to  me;"  "We  will  (we  intend  to) 
come  to  see  you  soon." 

3.  Shall,  in  an  interrogative  sentence,  in  the  first  and 
third  persons  (shall  I ;  shall  he  or  they)  consults  the  will 
or  the  judgment  of  another;  in  the  second  person  (shall 
you)  it  inquires  concerning  the  intention  or  future  action 
of  another :     "  Shall  I  go  with  you  ?  "  "  When  shall  we  see 
you  again  ?  "  "  When  shall  I  receive  it  ?  "  "  Shall  he  come 
with  us?  "  "  Shall  they  be  allowed  to  do  that? "  "  What 
shall  you  do  for  him  ?  " 

Will,  in  an  interrogative  sentence,  in  the  second  per- 
son (will  you)  asks  regarding  the  wish  of  others,  and  in 
the  third  person  (will  he;  will  they)  inquires  concerning 
the  purpose  or  future  action  of  others :  "  Will  you  have  a 
peach  ?  "  "  Will  you  go  with  me  to  the  library  ?  "  "  Will 
she  be  of  our  party  ?  "  "  When  will  they  be  here?  " 

4.  Will  cannot  be  used  interrogatively  in  the  first  per- 
son (will  I),  singular  or  plural.     We  must  not  say  "  Will 
I  go?  "  "  Will  I  help  you?  "  "  Will  I  be  late?  "  "  Will  we 
see  you  soon  ?  " 

A  mastery  of  these  four  rules  will  insure  correct  usage 
of  these  auxiliaries.  Should  and  would  follow  the  rules 
that  govern  shall  and  will.  In  conditional  clauses  (using 
if)  shall  or  would  is  used  in  all  three  persons  to  express 
the  simple  future  tense ;  will  or  would  in  the  three  persons 
to  express  will  or  determination,  as :  "  If  I  should  not  go, 
they  would  regret  my  absence :  "  //  you  should  decide  to 
come,  I  shall  be  glad  to  see  you ; "  "  //  you  should  go,  I 
would  (a  promise)  meet  you  without  fail;"  "//  she 
should  go,  we  would  meet  her:"  "//  it  should  rain,  we 
should  get  wet." 


WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:     GOOD   FORM   AND  BAD       43 

As  a  general  rule,  when  you  are  in  doubt  between  the 
use  of  "  shall  "  and  "  will,"  use  shall;  between  "  should  " 
and  "  would,"  use  should. 

Lay  and  Lie. —  These  two  irregular  verbs  are  as  fre- 
quently misused  as  shall  and  will.  Lay  is  often  used  for 
lie  and  lie  for  lay.  This  confusion  arises  from  the  fact 
that  the  present  tense  of  the  transitive  verb  (expressing 
action)  lay  (I  lay)  is  spelled  and  pronounced  exactly  the 
same  as  the  past  tense  of  the  intransitive  verb  (express- 
ing rest)  lie.  But  a  little  study  given  to  the  distinction 
should  enable  one  to  avoid  an  error  in  the  use  of  either 
word.  The  past  tense  of  lie  is  lay:  "  When  I  am  tired  I 
lie  on  my  couch;  I  lay  there  an  hour  this  afternoon." 
"  The  ships  still  lie  at  anchor  in  the  harbour ;  they  lay 
there  all  last  week."  The  past  tense  of  lay  is  laid :  "  The 
man  lay  under  the  tree,  while  his  companions  laid  a  bridge 
across  the  stream ; "  "  Our  hens  lay  eggs  every  day ;  to- 
day they  laid  ten."  It  will  be  seen  that  lay  expresses  ac- 
tion and  that  lie  expresses  rest.  The  past  participle  of 
lay  is  laid;  the  past  participle  of  lie  is  lain.  These  past 
participles  are  often  confounded.  Laid  is  always  fol- 
lowed by  an  object,  as,  "  He  has  laid  [what  object?]  his 
hat  on  the  shelf."  Lain  never  is  followed  by  any  object, 
as  "  He  has  lain  there  too  long."  The  presence  or  the  ab- 
sence of  an  object,  and  the  kind  of  verb  it  is  —  transitive 
or  intransitive,  expressing  action  or  inaction —  may  be 
decided  by  asking  "  Lay  (or  laid)  what?" 

Present  tense  Past  Indicative  Past  Participle 

I  lay  (I  now  lay  I  laid  (I  laid  my  I     have   laid   my 

my  book  on  the  book  on  the  ta-  book  on  the  ta- 

table).  ble).  ble. 

I  lie  (often  I  lie  I      lay      (I      lay  I  have  lain  awake 

awake    all  awake    all    last  many  a  night. 

night).  night). 

Difficult  Verbs. —  If  a  writer  wishes  to  avoid  many 


44 


GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 


solecisms  and  improprieties,  he  must  become  thoroughly 
familiar  with  the  principal  parts  of  the  following  verbs : 

Past  Participle 
begun 
bidden 

bid 

chosen 

done 

eaten 

fled 

flown 

flowed 

got  (avoid  gotten) 

hung 

hanged 
pleaded 

proved    (avoid 

proven ) 
raised 
risen 
set 
sat 

waked 
written 

The  Practical  Use  of  Rhetoric. —  As  a  formal  study, 
rhetoric,  although  it  can  aid  in  suggesting  subjects  for 
writing,  and  tell  in  a  general  way  how  to  find  material, 
does  not  apply  with  equal  importance  to  all  the  methods 
of  writing  that  have  been  mentioned.  But  rhetoric  does 
give  rules  of  the  greatest  value  in  the  finishing  or  revis- 
ing process  just  mentioned,  and  may  assist  in  collecting 
suggestive  material. 


Present 

Past  Indicative 

begin 

began 

bid  (ask  or  com- 

bade 

mand) 

bid   (at  auction) 

bid 

choose 

chose 

do 

did 

eat 

ate 

flee 

fled 

fly 

flew 

flow 

flowed 

get 

got 

hang      (clothes, 

hung 

pictures) 

hang    (men) 

hanged 

plead 

pleaded 

(never  pled) 

prove 

proved 

raise 

raised 

rise 

rose 

set 

set 

sit 

sat 

wake 

woke 

write 

wrote 

WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:    GOOD  FORM  AND  BAD     45 

It  is  in  the  process  of  revision  of  one's  first  draft  of  a 
subject  that  the  laws  of  rhetoric  are  chiefly  useful.  A 
good  text-book  gives  rules  and  examples,  and  shows  how 
the  effect  of  a  word  or  a  phrase  may  be  emphasized,  how 
a  sentence  may  be  smoothly  rounded,  how  a  long  para- 
graph or  an  awkward  phrase  may  be  made  compact,  ele- 
gant, and  forceful,  and  many  other  points  founded  on 
good  examples.  Rhetoric,  then,  is  the  application  of  cer- 
tain rules  to  the  expression  of  ideas,  and  it  sets  examples 
of  matters  of  usage.  Its  formal  study,  however,  is  for 
beginners  in  the  art  of  writing.  As  soon  as  a  writer, 
through  the  aid  of  his  education  and  a  study  of  text- 
books on  rhetoric  —  taking  into  account  also  his  supposed 
common  sense  and  good  taste,  and  his  possible  experience 
—  becomes  competent  and  skillful  in  the  written  expres- 
sion of  his  thoughts,  he  is  not  likely  to  think  much  more 
about  rhetoric  as  a  regular  study,  but  writes  as  his  judg- 
ment dictates  and  his  habit  of  expression  has  been 
formed. 

'"  Summary  and  a  Few  Last  Words. —  i.  Lay  out  your 
subject,  whether  it  is  a  story,  an  essay,  or  a  review  of 
some  historical  event,  and  make  up  your  mind  as  to  the 
best  order  in  which  to  place  the  important  parts.  To 
illustrate  how  much  depends  on  this,  let  us  take  the  case 
of  the  famous  novel  by  Edward  Westcott  entitled 
David  Harum;  the  manuscript  of  that  story  went  through 
several  publishing  houses  and  was  declined  nine  times; 
but  at  last  a  wise  editor  saw  the  importance  of  the  epi- 
sode of  the  horse-trade,  which,  however,  had  been  orig- 
inally placed  near  the  end  of  the  story.  He  transposed 
that  chapter  to  a  place  where  it  created  interest  and 
amusement  almost  at  the  beginning  of  the  narrative, 
and  thus  induced  readers  to  follow  the  fortunes  of  the 
quaint  old  country  banker  to  the  end  of  the  book.  David 
Harum  had  a  phenomenal  success,  which  it  might  never 
have  won  but  for  the  wisdom  of  the  editor  who  knew 


46  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

better  than  the  author  where  to  place  the  most  important 
material  to  the  best  advantage. 

2.  Consider  carefully  your  choice  of  words.     Remem- 
ber the  general  rule  that  the  specific  word  is  always  more 
forcible  than  the  general  term.     If  you  observe,  in  news- 
papers and  novels,  that  a  certain  word  or  phrase  is  being 
over-used  by  journalists  and  writers  of  fiction,  avoid  it. 
If  there  is  a  "  run  "  on  a  word,  do  not  use  it.    A  few 
years  ago,  after  the  appearance  of  a  certain  book,  every- 
thing was  called  "  strenuous."     Everywhere  we  saw  in 
print  "  strenuous  effort,"  "  strenuous  life,"  even  "  stren- 
uous laughter  "  and  "  strenuous  sleep,"  perhaps  meaning 
unusually  vigorous  snoring! 

A  good  instance  of  a  particularly  happy  choice  of  a 
word  is  found  at  the  beginning  of  a  passage  of  Lowell's 
— "  What  is  so  rare  as  a  day  in  June  ? "  which  is  a 
familiar  quotation.  If  he  had  said,  "  What  is  so  fine  " 
or  "  so  lovely  "  no  one  would  have  thought  it  an  un- 
usually poetic  line. 

3.  Avoid  writing  slang  as  coming  from  yourself,  what-" 
ever  you  may  find  it  necessary  to  make  your  characters 
say  in  a  story.     Occasionally  a  bright  person  invents  a 
new  slang  word  or  phrase  that  may  be  very  apt ;  but  the 
retailing  of  second-hand  slang  does  not  necessarily  make 
you  a  witty  person. 

4.  Keep    together    the    words    that    belong    together. 
Never  split  your  infinitives.     Keep  your  auxiliaries  as 
near  as  possible  to  the  main  verbs.     Macaulay  was  a 
grave   offender   against  this    rule   of    compact   writing. 
In  his  History  of  England  he  writes :     "  The  castle  had 
in  1686  been  almost  uninhabitable,"  when  it  would  have 
been  as  easy  to  make  the  sentence  graceful  instead  of 
awkward  by  writing,  "  In  1686  the  castle  had  been  almost 
uninhabitable."     The  auxiliary  should  not  be  separated 
from  the  main  verb,  for  the  reason  that  logically  they 
form  but  one  word  — "  had  been."     "  Had  "  alone  means 
nothing  in   the   sentence   just   quoted.     Sometimes   the 


WORDS  AND  SENTENCES:    GOOD  FORM  AND  BAD     47 

effect  is  not  euphonious  —  that  is,  pleasing  to  the  ear  — 
if  the  auxiliary  and  the  main  verb  are  kept  together; 
but  as  a  rule  there  are  few  cases  in  which  they  should 
be  separated. 

5.  Ordinarily,  in  the  arrangement  of  clauses,  take  care 
to  make  your  sentence  periodic.  As  a  general  thing,  re- 
member, all  sentences  are  better  when  written  in  periodic 
form,  as  a  matter  of  clearness  and  elegance ;  in  fact,  it  is 
more  a  question  of  elegance  than  of  anything  else.  But 
sometimes  periodicity  should  be  sacrificed  to  a  preference 
for  grace  if  the  periodic  form  has  an  awkward  effect,  as 
in  the  following  sentence  from  a  well-known  history  of 
the  Peninsular  War :  "  Spain  was  circumvented  by  the 
wiles,  and  then  ravaged  by  the  arms,  of  Napoleon."  It 
will  be  seen  readily  that  the  sentence  would  have  been 
more  graceful  had  it  been  written :  "  Spain  was  circum- 
vented by  the  wiles  of  Napoleon  and  then  ravaged  by  his 
arms." 


CHAPTER  VI 

CONVENTIONAL  FORMS:    LETTER- 
WRITING 

Conventional  Forms. —  The  forms,  customs,  and  sym- 
bols that  are  universally  agreed  upon  and  used  by  persons 
who  write  are  called  literary  conventions.  They  are 
very  useful:  they  save  a  great  deal  of  time  and  trouble 
in  allowing  us,  with  propriety,  to  shorten  our  sentences, 
leaving  the  mind  free  for  the  really  important  thing  that 
is  to  be  written  at  length. 

Concerning  Points  of  Grammar  and  the  Correct 
Usage  of  Words. —  These  two  points  are  fundamentally 
important.  They  are  the  very  root  of  all  expression. 
Grammar  is  the  prescribed  order  of  thought;  usage  is 
the  choice  of  words.  The  words  of  a  writer  of  English 
must  be  English  words  used  according  to  English  rules, 
and  his  sentences  must  be  constructed  according  to  the 
rules  of  English  syntax.  The  chief  danger  in  a  violation 
of  these  rules,  or  conventions,  is  the  possibility  of  mis- 
understanding on  the  part  of  the  reader.  Besides,  un- 
grammatical  diction,  and  a  too  free  use  of  slang  or  col- 
loquialisms, are  regarded  as  signs  of  deficient  education 
and  a  lack  of  early  good  breeding ;  and  they  show  a  want 
of  proper  understanding  of  the  mother  tongue. 

Requirements  of  Grammar. —  As  applied  to  composi- 
tion, grammar  means  simply  that  in  any  writing  the  ex- 
position of  various  facts  and  thoughts  shall  present  the 
usual  form  of  an  English  sentence,  that  is,  that  it  shall 
have  a  subject  and  a  predicate.  In  following  these 
forms,  there  is,  of  course,  the  widest  imaginable  range 
for  variation  of  forms  in  which  the  ideas  may  be  ex- 

48 


CONVENTIONAL    FORMS:       LETTER-WRITING         49 

pressed.  The  values  of  such  variations  may  be  learned 
by  studying  a  good  book  on  rhetoric.  Word  usage  is  a 
highly  important  subject  of  rhetorical  study,  for  the  ac- 
curate use  of  words,  in  their  most  widely  accepted  sense, 
is  the  very  foundation  of  good  style. 

Spelling;  Capitalising;  Punctuating. —  From  the 
point  of  view  of  many  modern  educators,  spelling  is  not 
of  so  much  importance  as  grammar,  phraseology,  or  even 
punctuation.  Yet,  spelling  is  the  most  strictly  conven- 
tionalised part  of  written  composition.  Fewer  departures 
from  established  form  are  overlooked  or  forgiven  than 
are  allowed  in  grammar  or  in  rhetoric.  To  spell  incor- 
rectly is  to  bring  reproach  or  ridicule  on  oneself.  But, 
difficult  as  is  the  mastery  of  English  spelling,  it  can  be 
acquired  with  patience,  persistent  study,  and  the  cultiva- 
tion of  memory.  Select  any  one  of  the  three  or  four 
great  modern  dictionaries,  and  spell  and  hyphenate  your 
words  strictly  according  to  its  rules,  in  order  to  be  sure  of 
consistency  in  style. 

Etymology  of  English  Words. —  Probably  the  only 
successful  method  of  learning  to  spell,  apart  from  a  sheer 
effort  of  memory  —  and  some  persons  are  ill  provided 
with  the  kind  of  memory  that  accomplishes  feats  of  that 
kind  —  is  by  learning  the  etymology  of  words,  which 
means  simply  the  original  word  or  words  of  a  foreign 
language  from  which  our  English  words  have  been  de- 
rived. Most  of  our  longer  words  are  made  up  of  a  cen- 
tral part  from  some  ancient  language  (called  the  root), 
and  of  parts  that  have  been  annexed  to  this  (called 
prefixes  and  suffixes),  together  with  connecting  letters. 
These  annexed  parts  are  much  alike,  and  the  changes 
from  or  the  additions  to  the  original  word  that  are  made 
in  joining  them  usually  follow  a  few  simple  rules,  such 
as  the  doubling  of  the  consonant  before  a  vowel,  etc. 
Now,  therefore,  if  one  can  get  into  his  head  the  spelling 
of  these  separate  parts  so  that  he  will  recognise  them  in 
all  the  various  connections  that  they  make  in  our  vocab- 


50         GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

ulary,  he  will  then  really  have  to  remember  hardly  more 
than  the  root- word,  and  that  will  greatly  simplify  the 
effort  to  spell  correctly. 

It  is  especially  as  an  assistance  in  learning  to  spell  that 
the  etymology  of  several  hundreds  of  the  more  common 
and  important  words  of  the  English  language  have  been 
included  in  this  book;  and  one  that  studies  diligently  — 
and  such  a  one  will  find  it  a  deeply  interesting  study 
—  the  origin  and  construction  of  the  words  of  our  lan- 
guage, as  revealed  in  the  tables  in  Part  II,  will  find  him- 
self learning  to  spell  without  making  any  special  effort  to 
do  so,  because  he  has  learned  to  spell  the  various  parts 
of  which  our  words  are  composed. 

Capitalising. —  Capitals  were  used  much  more  freely 
in  former  days  than  at  present,  and  they  are  still  em- 
ployed much  more  in  England  than  in  the  United  States. 
The  modern  American  tendency  is  to  use  capitals  as  little 
as  possible.  Proper  names,  and  their  accompanying  titles 
(as,  Mr.  Browne,  Harvard  University,  August,  Lent,  the 
Passover,  etc.),  the  first  word  of  a  sentence,  or  of  a  quo- 
tation from  literature,  the  first  word  of  a  line  of  poetry, 
the  pronoun  "  I "  and  the  exclamation  "  O !  "  are  the 
only  matters  of  capitalising  in  which  uniform  practice  is 
observed  in  England  and  the  United  States. 

In  the  use  of  capitals,  conventional  forms  appear  to 
many  persons  —  and  usually  to  all  unpractised  writers  — 
of  little  importance ;  but  violations  of  the  rules  followed 
generally  in  modern  printing  make  a  page  of  type  look 
very  inelegant  and  unattractive.  We  present  a  fairly 
comprehensive  list  of  the  words  and  phrases  most  in  com- 
mon use  in  which  appear  the  forms  of  capitalising  em- 
ployed by  the  best  printing-houses  and  by  magazines  of 
the  better  class. 

The  following  words  should  be  capitalised  when  they 
occur  with  a  proper  noun: 


CONVENTIONAL    FORMS:      LETTER-WRITING 


Act 

Alley 

Alliance 

Avenue 

Band 

Bank 

Bay 

Bill 

Bishop 

Bridge 

Bureau 

Canal 

Cape 

Chairman     (before     name 

only) 
Church 
Club 
College 
Commission 
Company 
Committee 
Congressman 
Corps 
Creek 

Custom-house 
Department 
Depot 
Gulf 
Harbor 
Hotel 
Island 
Isthmus 
Judge 


Kingdom 

Lake 

Law 

Library 

Market 

Mountain 

Ocean 

Palace 

Place 

Point 

President  (U.  S.) 

Province 

Representative        (before 

name  only) 
River 

Sea 

Secretary     (before     name 

only) 
Senator 
Society 
Square 
State    (geographical),  also 

without  a  noun) 
Station  (railway) 
Strait 
Street 
Terrace 
Theatre 
Treasurer     (before     name 

only) 

University 
City  of  Mexico 
New  York  City 


Capitalise  all  titles  when  followed  directly  by  the  proper 
noun,  as:     Captain   Brown,   Commander   Fisher,   Chief 


52  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

Justice  Chase,  Senator  White,  etc.  Compound  titles  are 
hyphenated,  with  second  title  capitalised,  as:  Rear-Ad- 
miral Jones,  Vice- President  Smith,  etc. 

Capitalise  all  pronouns  referring  to  the  Deity,  as :  If 
we  trust  His  love,  we  shall  do  well.  Do  not  capitalise 
pronouns  used  in  royal  titles,  as :  He  spoke  of  his  Royal 
Highness  the  Duke  of  York. 

Capitalise  historical  events  and  eras,  as:  the  French 
Revolution,  the  American  Revolution,  the  Civil  War 
(U.  S.),  the  Rebellion  (U.  S.),  the  Renaissance,  the 
Hundred  Years'  War,  Wars  of  the  Roses,  War  of  1812, 
the  Mexican  War,  etc.  Capitalise  the  Roundheads,  the 
Royalists,  the  Cavaliers.  Capitalise  Nature  and  Heaven 
only  when  personified. 

In  such  phrases  as  "  May  it  please  the  Court,"  "  Give 
the  Court  your  real  name,"  "  May  it  please  your  Honor," 
use  capitals  as  here  printed.  Capitalise  Negro,  Gipsy, 
Protestant,  Catholic. 

Clubs  and  theatres  when  mentioned  in  the  plural  should 
not  have  capitals,  as :  The  Metropolitan,  Knickerbocker, 
and  Union  clubs;  the  Astor,  Lyceum,  and  Garrick  thea- 
tres. 

Use  capitals  for  Congress  (U.  S.) ;  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives; the  Mint  (only  when  referring  to  the  United 
States  Bureau);  Treasury;  Supreme  Court  (United 
States  only)  ;  East,  West,  North,  South  (when  denoting 
geographical  region) ;  Northern  States,  Southern  States, 
etc.;  Senate,  Assembly,  and  Legislature;  Federal  Gov- 
ernment; Confederate,  Confederacy  (Civil  War  period). 

Capitalise  Government  when  the  noun  refers  to  the 
United  States  or  another  government ;  otherwise  use  a 
small  letter  for  both  noun  and  adjective.  Capitalise  the 
Union  and  the  Nation  when  referring  to  the  Federal 
Government.  Capitalise  the  European  Powers;  also  the 
Continent,  when  the  Continent  of  Europe  is  meant. 

Use  a  capital  for  Post-office  when  referring  to  the 
Post-office  Department  of  the  United  States  or  when 


CONVENTIONAL    FORMS:       LETTER-WRITING         53 

used  with  a  proper  noun,  as,  the  New  York  Post-office; 
otherwise  use  small  letters. 

Use  a  capital  for  Church  only  if  followed  or  preceded 
by  a  proper  name,  as :  St.  James's  Church ;  the  Church 
of  the  Pilgrims.  Use  small  letters  in  phrases  like  "  For 
the  sake  of  the  church  many  have  died ;"  "  They  decided 
to  build  a  new  church." 

Punctuating. —  This  is  a  subject  of  great  importance, 
especially  in  making  one's  meaning  absolutely  clear. 
Erroneous  punctuation  can  obscure  the  sense  of  compo- 
sition far  more  than  the  worst  errors  in  spelling,  for  the 
sense  of  an  idea  can  usually  be  understood  despite  poor 
spelling,  whereas  the  misuse  of  a  single  comma  may 
change  the  whole  significance  of  a  sentence.  Yet, 
strangely  enough,  bad  punctuation  is  not  regarded  by 
most  persons  as  so  certain  a  mark  of  defective  education 
as  bad  spelling,  or  the  breaking  of  the  rules  of  grammar. 
These  critics  should  remember  that  lawsuits  have  been 
known  to  follow  the  misunderstanding  of  legal  docu- 
ments wherein  a  misplaced  comma,  or  the  lack  of  a  proper 
point  of  punctuation,  has  distorted  the  sense  of  what  the 
person  that  drew  the  document  intended  to  express. 
Therefore,  notwithstanding  the  prevalent  leniency  shown 
toward  faulty  punctuation,  every  writer  should  study  the 
marks  of  punctuation,  numbering  only  twelve,  and  learn 
thoroughly  the  rules  governing  their  use.  The  most  im- 
portant points  of  punctuation  are  the  comma,  the  period, 
and  the  marks  of  quotation.  The  others  are  more  special, 
but  are  little  less  important  in  the  writing  of  correct  and 
elegant  English.  How  necessary  they  are  may  be  seen 
if  one  wjU  write  one  long  sentence  without  any  punctua- 
tion whatever.  The  usual  forms  and  rules  governing 
this  art  will  be  found  in  Part  III,  Chapter  I. 

Varying  Forms  of  Address  in  Letters. —  Custom  has 
laid  down  certain  rules  of  diction  to  be  used  on  different 
occasions  or  in  certain  circumstances,  as  that  one  should 
say  "  Ladies  and  Gentlemen "  in  addressing  a  mixed 


54  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

audience,  "  Friends  and  Fellow-Citizens,"  or  some  simi- 
lar phrase,  in  speaking  to  a  political  assemblage,  and,  in 
writing,  that  one  should  use  certain  set  phrases,  of  vary- 
ing degrees  of  courtesy  or  familiarity.  These  accepted 
forms,  and  the  good  reasons  for  using  them,  are  best 
shown  in  letters.  To  be  unfamiliar  with  these  common 
usages  of  business  and  social  life  shows  ignorance  or  ill 
breeding,  whereas  familiarity  with  them,  and  ability  to 
write  a  good  letter,  is  sure  to  create  a  favorable  impres- 
sion of  the  writer  in  whatever  circle  of  society  his  letter 
may  be  received.  A  good  letter,  from  the  conventional 
point  of  view,  shows  whence,  by  whom,  when,  and  to 
whom  it  is  written;  it  is  correct  in  its  forms  of  address 
and  closing,  polite  in  its  phraseology,  and  sets  forth  its 
business  simply,  clearly,  and  concisely. 

Spelling  and  Grammar  of  College  Graduates. —  In  a 
number  of  a  popular  magazine,  in  the  year  1913,  some 
interesting  discoveries  were  revealed  regarding  spelling, 
punctuation,  and  grammar  of  American  college  seniors. 
Out  of  one  hundred  letters  received  from  recent  gradu- 
ates of  women's  colleges,  who  had  been  asked  to  tell  what 
their  college  had  done  for  them  physically,  socially,  and 
intellectually,  not  one  letter  was  entirely  free  from  error. 
Bad  spelling  was  the  most  conspicuous  offense,  and  for 
this  literary  sin  no  doubt  the  young  women  would  plead 
in  excuse  the  precedent  of  the  vicious  fad  known  as 
"  simplified  spelling,"  which  found  champions  in  high 
quarters  not  long  ago,  and  is  still  fondly  clung  to  by  poor 
spellers  everywhere,  because  it  is  so  convenient  an  excuse 
for  ignorance  or  laziness.  But  careless  punctuation, 
illegible  handwriting,  false  syntax,  and  incoherent  thought 
and  expression  were  hardly  less  numerous  in  these 
communications.  Four  hundred  letters  from  men's  col- 
leges made  a  better  showing,  but  only  forty-five  were  ex- 
ceptionally good,  whereas  fifty-nine  were  total  failures 
and  should  not  have  come  even  from  boys  in  a  secondary 
school. 


CONVENTIONAL   FORMS:      LETTER-WRITING         55 

Modern  Newspaper  English. —  This  melancholy  con- 
dition of  ignorance  among  young  people  of  both  sexes 
can  be  remedied  —  or  at  least  prevented  from  growing 
worse  —  only  by  individual  effort  to  save  oneself  from 
slipping  down  into  the  ditch  of  indifference  as  to  the  pres- 
ervation of  good  literary  style,  a  condition  which  at 
present  is  most  glaringly  illustrated  in  the  daily  press. 
One  New  York  newspaper,  once  regarded  as  a  criterion 
of  good  English,  under  the  rule  of  a  famous  editor  and 
scholar,  now  permits  itself  to  use  such  expressions  as 
"  she  walked  along  ladened  with  bundles,"  "  this  was 
•furthered  from  his  thoughts,"  and  other  solecisms 
equally  bad. 

Too  great  attention,  then,  can  hardly  be  paid  to  our 
manner  of  expression,  in  order  to  save  our  language  from 
contemptible  corruption  and  degradation,  and  ourselves 
from  becoming  the  laughing-stock  of  all  educated  peoples, 
for  the  disgraceful  reason  that  American  descendants  of 
English  stock  have  lost,  through  sheer  carelessness,  the 
knowledge  of  how  to  speak  and  write  their  mother  tongue 
correctly. 

A  few  simple  rules  that  are  everywhere  used  by  per- 
sons of  good  taste  may  be  given  here  for  convenience  as 
an  aid  to  acquiring  the  more  common  conventionalities 
in  letter-writing: 

Place  and  Date. —  These  highly  necessary  but  often 
neglected  details  are  usually  placed  at  the  upper  right- 
hand  corner  of  the  first  page  of  a  letter-sheet.  In  this 
positiori*  they  can  be  soonest  seen  and  easily  referred  to 
later.  Sometimes,  in  letters  of  a  personal  kind,  the  place 
and  the  date  do  not  head  the  letter,  but  are  written  a  little 
below  the  signature  of  the  writer  and  placed  at  the  left 
of  the  page.  When  place  and  date  are  not  given  in  a 
printed  or  engraved  letter-head,  one  should  write  the  date 
directly  under  the  name  of  the  place,  as : 

Ashfield,  Massachusetts 

August  16,  1914 


56  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

or, 

Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania 

January  13,  1914 

Thus  the  two  items  of  information  —  the  place  whence 
the  writer  sends  the  letters  and  the  date  of  its  writing  — 
are  kept  distinct  from  each  other. 

The  Salutation. —  The  differing  degrees  of  conven- 
tionality or  familiarity  in  vogue  among  American  people 
may  be  given  in  a  sort  of  descending  scale  from  high 
formality  to  intimacy.  To  persons  of  public  official  im- 
portance, editors  of  newspapers  or  magazines,  or  other 
personages  of  distinction,  the  address  should  be: 

To  the  President 
Washington 

District  of  Columbia 
Sir: 

or 

To  the  Editor  of  THE  SUN  —  Sir : 

In  addressing  strangers,  or  any  person  with  whom 
one's  relations  are  confined  simply  to  matters  of  business, 
write : 

Mr.  Joseph  West 
No.  128  West  94th  Street 
New  York  City 

This  form  may  be  varied,  of  course,  to  read  according 
to  the  usual  title  of  the  person  addressed,  as, 

Joseph  West,  Esq.,  etc., 

The  Hon.  Joseph  West, 

The  Rev.  Joseph  West  (it  is  admissible  to  omit  the 
The), 

Dr.  Joseph  West  (though  a  medical  man  prefers  to 
be  addressed  as  Joseph  West,  M.D.), 

The  Reverend  Joseph  West,  D.D.  (sometimes  The 
Reverend  Dr.). 


CONVENTIONAL   FORMS:      LETTER-WRITING         57 

More  formality  is  implied  by  beginning  with  "  My  dear 
Sir,"  instead  of  "  Dear  Sir."  In  addressing  a  woman, 
whether  she  is  married  or  not,  "  Dear  Madam,"  should 
always  be  used.  In  the  case  of  addressing  a  firm  or  a 
society  composed  only  of  women,  one  writes  "  Ladies," 
or  the  French  form,"  Mesdames."  The  address  used 
toward  any  body  of  people,  as  firms,  councils,  commit- 
tees, etc.,  is  usually  in  the  plural  form,  "  Gentlemen," 
being  preceded  by  the  name  of  the  firm,  if  it  is  a  business 
association,  as, 

Messrs.  Bell  and  Black 
Gentlemen : 

or 

To  the  Honorable  the  Board  of  Trustees 

or  whatever  designation  is  appropriate  to  the  body  ad- 
dressed. 

The  Business  of  the  Letter. —  The  chief  point  in  this 
is  to  set  down  what  you  have  to  say  briefly  and  clearly, 
with  firmness  and  courtesy.  Do  not  attempt  to  be  famil- 
iar and  colloquial  when  it  would  be  out  of  keeping 
between  you  and  the  person  to  whom  you  are  writing 
(for  instance,  if  you  were  asking  a  man  for  an  appoint- 
ment in  his  office),  and  do  not  affect  too  much  stiffness 
and  dignity  of  form  in  addressing  your  friends.  Assume 
that  your  correspondents  are  persons  of  as  much  sense 
and  intelligence  as  you  yourself  possess.  A  beginning  is 
usually  found  in  what  has  happened  previously  or  in 
some  business  requiring  immediate  attention.  In  either 
case,  there  is  no  good  reason  why,  despite  a  former  con- 
trary conventional  usage,  a  writer  should  not  begin  his 
letter  with  the  pronoun  "  I "  instead  of  "  You "  or 
"  Your."  In  business,  a  certain  set  form  is  usual,  as 
"  In  reply  to  your  letter  [do  not  say  "  favor,"  it  is 
outworn  and  is  too  high-flown  for  the  ordinary  incident 
of  having  received  a  business  communication]  of  Jan- 


58         GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

uary  13,  I  wish  to  say,"  etc.  If  no  previous  business  has 
been  transacted,  say  simply,  "  I  write  to  ask  whether  you 
will  kindly  send  to  my  address,"  or  "  inform  me,"  etc. 
The  main  idea  is  to  begin  with  your  business  as  soon  as 
possible,  without  unnecessary  words.  Other  forms  of 
letter-writing  have  to  do  with  general  composition,  but 
it  is  well  to  remember  that  in  business  letters  every  sepa- 
rate item  of  business  should  be  treated  in  a  paragraph  by 
itself,  to  avoid  confusion. 

The  Close. —  In  closing  a  letter,  various  degrees  of 
formality  are  now  followed,  which  have  superseded  the 
more  elaborate  forms  used  in  the  past.  These  are  rang- 
ing from  high  ceremoniousness  to  friendly  informality: 

To  public  officials,  and  other  persons  of  importance, 

I  am,  Sir  (or,  I  remain,  Sir), 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

In  business  letters: 

Yours  respectfully,  or 
Very  truly  yours,  or 
Yours  truly. 

When  indicating  various  degrees  of  acquaintance  or 
friendship : 

Yours   very  truly, 
Sincerely  yours, 
Cordially  yours, 
Faithfully  yours, 
Yours  ever, 
Yours,  as  always, 

or  these  phrases  with  such  changes  as  may  be  appropri- 
ate. 

In  all  cases,  the  name  of  the  writer  follows  the  closing 
phrase.  This  should  be  accompanied  by  whatever  infor- 
mation is  necessary  to  a  knowledge  of  his  personality 


CONVENTIONAL   FORMS:      LETTER-WRITING         59 

(when  it  is  not  already  known)  and  his  place  of  resi- 
dence. Thus,  in  a  business  letter  that  requires  a  reply: 

I  am,  with  a  request  for  a  reply  at  your  convenience, 
Very  truly  yours, 

(Miss  or  Mrs.)  Anna  E.  Falls 

To  this  the  address  may  be  added,  if  it  has  not  already 
been  given  at  the  head  of  the  letter.  If  the  writer  is 
married,  and  her  husband  is  living,  she  should  sign  her 
name  thus : 

Anna  E.  Falls 

(Mrs.  Charles  L.  Falls) 

The  address  is  added,  if  necessary.  In  some  letters  it 
is  necessary  to  give  a  writer's  own  title,  especially  if  he  is 
writing  officially,  as  president,  manager,  editor,  etc.  The 
title  should  follow  the  signature,  on  the  line  below  it. 

The  address  on  the  envelope  should  be  no  longer  than 
is  necessary  to  carry  the  letter  to  its  destination ;  thus : 

Joseph  West,  Esq. 

No.   128  West  94th  Street 

New  York  City 

/• 

To  this  it  might  be  necessary  to  add  the  number  of  a 
room  in  the  building,  or  the  care  of  some  other  person 
or  a  business  firm.  Abbreviations  in  any  form  of  address 
should  be  avoided,  for  the  reason  that  they  put  the  post- 
office  officials  to  the  trouble  of  trying  to  make  them  out. 
Formerly,  it  was  the  custom  to  punctuate  the  single 
lines  in  the  opening  address  of  a  letter,  as  well  as  the 
corresponding  lines  on  the  envelope ;  but  the  more  modern 
style  is  to  omit  all  punctuation  at  the  ends  of  lines 
(except  in  the  case  of  an  abbreviated  word,  like  Esq.). 
This  rule  is  followed  not  only  in  letters  but  also  on  title- 
pages  of  books,  in  the  headings  of  chapters  in  a  book, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  lines  at  the  tops  of  pages  that  are 
called  "  running  heads." 


6O  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

Personal  Letters  and  Business  Letters. —  The  dis- 
tinction between  these  two  styles  of  correspondence  can- 
not be  shown  exactly,  for  many  letters  partake  of  both 
characteristics.  Business  letters  are  sometimes  con- 
cerned with  personal  affairs ;  personal  letters  may  include 
questions  on  matters  of  business.  Letters  ordering  mer- 
chandise to  be  sent,  asking  for  information,  or  requesting 
debtors  to  call  and  pay  their  bills,  are  business  letters. 
Personal  letters  pass  between  correspondents  for  their 
entertainment  or  the  expression  of  their  friendship  or 
otherwise.  This  kind  of  correspondence  allows  much 
wider  latitude  of  expression  and  address  than  is  the  case 
with  business  letters,  and  of  course  the  same  person  may 
write  you  a  formal  letter  on  business  matters  at  one 
moment  and  a  purely  personal  one  immediately  after. 

One  kind  of  letter,  business-like  in  form  though  strictly 
personal  in  import,  allows  very  slight  variation  in  style. 
The  form,  with  changes  according  to  circumstances,  is 
customarily  as  follows: 

Mrs.  Joseph  West  requests  the  pleasure 
of  the  company  of  Mr.  William  Ward  at 
dinner  on  Saturday,  the  ninth  of  May,  at 
half  after  seven. 

No.  128  West  94th  Street 

The  reply  should  read: 

Mr.  William  Ward  accepts  with  pleasure 
(or,  regrets  that  he  is  unable  to  accept)  the 
kind  invitation  of  Mrs.  Joseph  West  for 
Saturday,  the  ninth  of  May. 

May  third,  1914 

Literary  References. —  Writers  and  students  should 
learn  the  usual  forms  of  making  literary  references,  for 
the  citing  of  authorities  is  indispensable  in  literary  work. 
A  good  reference  gives,  first,  the  author's  name;  second, 


CONVENTIONAL    FORMS:       LETTER-WRITING         6  1 

the  title  of  the  book  to  which  reference  is  made  ;  third,  by 
whom  published,  the  place,  date,  and,  if  necessary  (pre- 
ceding the  place),  the  edition,  of  the  publication;  thus: 

Johnson,  Rossiter,  The  Alphabet  of  Rhetoric.     D.  Ap- 
pleton    and    Company.     Second    Edition.     New    York, 


Lists  of  references  are  usually  arranged  in  alphabeti- 
cal order,  according  to  the  surnames  of  the  authors. 
When  a  certain  reference  immediately  follows  another 
by  the  same  author  it  is  customary  to  write  Ibid.,  fol- 
lowed by  the  title  of  the  book  or  simply  by  the  number  of 
the  page,  when  the  book  is  the  same  as  that  named  in 
the  preceding  reference.  If  the  second  reference  does 
not  follow  immediately,  being  separated  by  a  page  or 
more,  the  conventional  form  is  op.  cit.,  which  means,  the 
work  already  cited.  But  it  is  better  to  repeat  the  title,  as 
if  the  preceding  reference  did  not  exist. 


CHAPTER  VII 
NICETIES  OF  CORRESPONDENCE 

On  the  principle  that  when  we  write  to  our  friends 
we  are  supposed  not  to  be  in  haste,  abbreviations  should 
be  avoided  and  addresses  should  be  written  in  full.  In 
a  business  letter  certain  abbreviations  that  do  not  inter- 
fere with  the  sense  may  be  allowable;  but  the  funda- 
mental difference  between  business  life  and  social  life  is 
that  in  the  first  named  it  is  understood  that  time  is 
precious  and  must  be  economised,  whereas  in  social  life 
there  is,  or  should  be,  leisure  to  observe  the  rules  of 
polite  forms. 

Even  when  an  address  is  supposed  to  be  known  by  the 
person  to  whom  a  letter  is  being  written,  it  is  proper  to 
place  it  at  the  top  of  the  sheet.  A  thoughtless  corre- 
spondent sometimes  taxes  the  memory  of  a  friend  or 
obliges  the  recipient  of  a  letter  to  look  up  an  address  to  be 
sure  of  it  when  replying. 

Abbreviations. —  It  is  a  serious  error  to  use  abbrevia- 
tions in  the  date.  The  name  of  the  month  also  should  be 
written  in  full.  It  is  not  good  form  to  write  Jan.,  Feb., 
Aug.,  Sept.,  Oct.,  Nov.,  Dec.  It  is  purely  commercial 
form  to  write  dates  in  figures  alone,  as,  8,  16,  14.  This 
style  might  be  excused  in  a  brief  business  letter,  but  it 
never  is  really  in  good  taste.  The  correct  form  is  August 
16,  1914. 

In  an  informal  note  the  day  of  the  month  may  be 
written  out  and  the  year  expressed  in  figures,  thus: 
August  sixteenth,  1914.  This  is  written  after  the  signa- 
ture, at  the  lower  left-hand  corner  of  the  page ;  but  a  full 

62 


NICETIES   OF   CORRESPONDENCE  63 

letter  should  have  the  address  and  the  date  at  the  be- 
ginning, as  illustrated  in  Chapter  III. 

Do  not  shorten  the  names  of  towns,  cities,  or  States. 
Write  them  in  full :  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  Cincinnati, 
Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  not  Bait.,  Phila.,  Cinn.,  Md., 
Pa.  Do  not  abbreviate  the  words  Street  and  Avenue  in 
writing  an  address.  St.  and  Av.,  or  Ave.,  are  not  in 
good  form. 

A  very  objectionable  habit  is  to  write  "  wh."  for  which, 
"thro"'  for  through,  "  tho "  for  though,  "can't"  for 
cannot,  "  I've  "  for  /  have,  "  I'm  "  for  /  am. 

If  the  day  of  the  week  instead  of  the  date  is  used  at 
the  conclusion  of  a  very  informal  friendly  note,  it  should 
be  written  in  full:  Tuesday,  Wednesday,  Saturday,  not 
Tues.,  Wed.,  Sat. 

The  address  on  an  envelope  should  always  be  written 
in  full.  A  widow,  as  well  as  a  married  woman,  is  prop- 
erly addressed  by  her  husband's  name,  Mrs.  William 
Ward,  not  Mrs.  Florence  Ward.  A  wife  never  should 
be  addressed  by  her  husband's  professional  title.  It  is 
highly  incorrect  to  address  Mrs.  Doctor  Jones,  or  Mrs. 
General  Hall;  the  correct  style  is  Mrs.  George  Jones, 
Mrs.  Henry  Hall.  When  addressing  an  invitation  where 
names  must  be  put  together,  write  General  and  Mrs. 
Henry  Hall. 

Abbreviated  names,  in  either  addresses  or  signatures, 
are  in  bad  taste.  The  names  James,  John,  William,  or 
Charles  never  should  be  shortened  to  Jas.,  Jno.,  Wm., 
Chas. 

In  writing  or  printing  names  of  persons,  it  is  bad  taste 
and  bad  typography  to  use  the  initials  only  for  Christian 
names,  as,  W.  H.  Browne  and  L.  A.  Smith.  W.  is  not  a 
name,  and  H.  is  not  a  name.  Write  Walter  Henry 
Browne,  or  Walter  H.  Browne,  or  W.  Henry  Browne, 
but  never  write  W.  H.  Browne.  In  the  days  of  ancient 
Rome  it  was  allowable  to  use  the  initials  of  men's  names, 
because  those  abbreviations  stood  for  one  name  only  — 


64         GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

C.  for  Caius,  Q.  for  Quintus,  M.  for  Marcus,  etc.  But 
when  we  read  of  W.  H.  Browne  we  have  no  means  of 
knowing  whether  his  name  is  William,  Walter,  Wilfred, 
or  Wallace. 

Letters  of  Introduction. —  Many  persons  find  it  diffi- 
cult to  write  letters  of  introduction.  It  is  not  always 
easy  to  frame  a  letter  introducing  one  friend  to  another, 
and  often  persons  do  not  know  when  it  is  proper  to  give 
such  a  letter.  This  point  finally  settles  itself  into  the 
question  whether  one  has  a  right  to  make  the  persons 
concerned  acquainted  with  each  other.  If  one  of  the 
two  is  not  a  wholly  desirable  acquaintance,  the  third 
person  has  no  moral  right  to  force  that  acquaintance  on 
a  friend. 

A  letter  of  introduction  requires  the  writing  of  two 
letters.  One  letter  is  handed,  unsealed,  to  the  applicant, 
to  be  sent  or  presented  to  the  person  to  whom  it  is 
addressed.  It  should  contain  some  polite  words  as  to 
the  reason  why  the  writer  thinks  the  acquaintance  will 
be  mutually  agreeable,  and  an  expression  of  the  pleasure 
he  feels  in  making  two  valued  friends  acquainted. 

The  second  letter  is  quite  as  important,  but  is  often 
overlooked.  It  should  be  a  private  letter,  sealed,  and 
sent  by  mail  to  the  person  to  whom  the  open  letter  was 
addressed.  It  should  say  that  a  letter  of  introduction 
has  been  given  to  such  and  such  a  friend,  and  should  con- 
tain some  hints  about  him,  so  that  the  recipient  of  the 
letter  may  know  how  to  receive  the  person  who  later  will 
present  the  formal  note  of  introduction. 

Letters  of  Application  for  Employment. —  Another 
letter  of  this  formal  kind  that  is  hard  to  prepare  is  one 
applying  for  employment.  So  difficult  is  such  a  letter  to 
write  that  a  man  advertising  for  an  office  assistant  rarely 
receives  replies  that  show  proper  preparation  for  the 
place.  Often  the  letters  are  long-winded,  and  sometimes 
the  applicants  go  into  details  regarding  their  domestic 
concerns,  although  a  business  letter  calls  for  only  busi- 


NICETIES    OF    CORRESPONDENCE  65 

ness  forms  and  the  omission  of  all  details  except  such  as 
give  an  idea  of  the  capabilities  of  the  applicant. 

The  letter  should  begin,  of  course,  with  the  name  of 
the  person  or  firm  to  whom  it  is  addressed,  followed  by 
"Dear  Sir,"  "Gentlemen,"  or  "Dear  Madam."  If  it 
is  written  to  an  organization,  a  club,  or  a  large  business 
corporation,  the  envelope  should  be  addressed  to  the 
secretary.  It  should  say  that  the  applicant  is  seeking  a 
certain  appointment,  and  should  give  age,  educational 
advantages,  qualifications,  and  business  experience.  Tes- 
timonials regarding  character  and  ability  should  be  en- 
closed, and  more  credentials,  if  desired,  should  be  offered. 

Credentials. —  The  original  testimonials  or  credentials 
should  not  be  enclosed  in  the  letter  of  application.  These 
should  be  retained  and  only  copies  of  them  sent.  If  the 
originals  are  sent,  they  might  be  lost  or  mislaid.  An- 
other reason  why  it  is  desirable  to  send  copies  is  that 
the  recipient  may  wish  to  retain  them  while  making 
inquiries  about  the  applicant.  An  agency,  and  perhaps  a 
business  man,  will  wish  to  keep  them  and  put  them  on 
file  with  the  letter  of  application,  for  possible  future  ref- 
erence. 

If  it  is  necessary  or  desirable  to  apply  for  an  appoint- 
ment by  letter,  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  appli- 
cant may  be  one  of  hundreds  that  are  writing  to  the 
same  place,  and  that  all  letters  will  be  compared  with 
others.  While  it  is  true  that  different  factors  influence 
people,  as  a  rule  a  business  man  is  attracted  most  by 
neatness,  business-like  precision,  conciseness,  and  atten- 
tion to  the  important  details  of  spelling  and  punctuation 
in  any  letter  of  application  that  he  receives. 


SECOND  PART 
CHAPTER  I 

DERIVATION  AND  COMPOSITION  OF 
ENGLISH  WORDS 

Saxon  and  Latin  Derivation. —  The  words  of  the  Eng- 
lish language  may  be  separated  into  two  principal  classes : 
words  of  Saxon  origin  and  words  of  Latin  origin.  Words 
derived  from  the  ancient  Greek  belong,  in  this  general 
division,  to  the  latter  of  the  two  classes,  although,  for 
the  sake  of  convenience,  they  are  arranged  by  themselves 
in  the  following  pages.  To  find  the  origin  of  such  words 
as  are  of  neither  Saxon  nor  Latin  derivation,  let  the 
reader  consult  the  Century  Dictionary  or  the  Standard 
Dictionary,  published  respectively  by  The  Century  Com- 
pany and  Messrs.  Funk  and  Wagnalls,  New  York  City. 
The  reader  that  makes  himself  familiar  with  the  prefixes 
and  suffixes,  as  presented  here,  will  hardly  need  more  for 
all  practical  purposes  to  enable  him  to  recognize  readily 
their  proper  force  and  effect. 

Structure  of  Language. — Language,  in  its  principles 
and  structure,  is  necessarily  everywhere  virtually  the 
same.  The  Latin  and  Greek  scholar  has  the  advantage  of 
the  mere  English  scholar  only  in  his  ability  to  trace  the 
etymology  of  a  large  class  of  English  words  that  have  been 
derived  from  those  languages.  Yet,  by  a  careful  study  of 
the  etymology  of  the  words,  the  derivation  of  which  is 
traced  in  the  following  pages,  the  student  of  English  will 
find  some  assistance  that  will  partly  make  amends  for  the 
lack  of  that  classical  learning  which  can  be  obtained  only 
by  a  long  course  of  collegiate  study. 

66 


DERIVATION   AND   COMPOSITION    OF    WORDS         67 

Many  of  the  words  that  are  classed  as  words  of  Latin 
origin  were  introduced  into  the  English  not  directly  from 
the  Latin  itself  but  from  the  French,  or  from  some  other 
of  those  modern  languages  that  sprang  from  the  Latin 
and  strongly  resemble  it.  For  example,  the  word  finish 
may  have  come  into  our  language  from  the  French  word 
finir;  but  both  are  to  be  traced  to  the  Latin  word  finis, 
signifying  an  end  or  a  limit. 

Words  are  to  be  considered  principally  in  two  relations : 
in  their  definite  meaning  and  in  their  grammatical  con- 
struction. In  the  latter  aspect  we  learn  the  structure  of 
language,  the  different  classes  of  words,  with  their  philo- 
sophical uses  and  their  relative  importance ;  in  the  former, 
the  force  and  distinct  significance  of  each  separate  word. 
This  requires  an  accurate  knowledge  of  their  origin  and 
their  authorized  use. 

Changing  Forms. — In  tracing  the  etymology  of  words, 
we  go  first  to  the  original  words  in  the  language  where 
they  were  first  employed,  or  to  their  first  formation,  if 
original,  in  our  own  language.  Thence  we  trace  their 
related  meanings,  the  modified  uses  to  which  they  have 
been  applied,  and  the  new  significations  that  have  been 
given  to  them  in  the  process  of  time.  Sometimes  a  word 
is  entirely  changed  from  its  original  meaning,  and  is  used 
not  only  in  varied  but  in  opposite  senses.  Words  are  con- 
tinually manufactured,  too,  to  suit  the  times,  for  new 
things  that  are  the  subject  of  thought,  or  for  new  modes 
of  thought.  They  are  formed  also  by  the  combining  of 
different  words,  and  by  prefixes  and  suffixes.  Thus  they 
are  changed  or  modified  in  meaning,  and  new  words  spring 
into  use. 

The  Importance  of  Using  the  Right  Word. —  Lan- 
guage, the  first  necessity  of  the  mind,  is  not  only  the  in- 
strument but  the  nutriment  of  thought,  and  the  impor- 
tance of  its  correct  use  is  readily  perceived  in  its  neces- 
sity and  its  immeasurable  influence.  It  is  necessary  to 
the  development  of  mind  and  to  civilization.  The  Ian- 


'68  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

guage  of  a  nation  or  of  an  individual  tests  the  character 
as  accurately  as  the  thermometer  tests  the  degrees  of 
temperature. 

The  study  of  words  is  in  reality  the  study  of  philosophy, 
of  history,  of  morals.  We  may  read  a  nation's  history 
in  a  nation's  words.  Mind  is  there  stereotyped  in  form 
and  feature  as  is  reality  in  life.  There  is  often  more 
of  true  history  to  be  learned  in  a  dictionary,  which  can- 
not lie,  than  in  written  records,  which  may  have  been 
framed  by  prejudice,  pride,  affectation,  misconception,  or 
intended  falsehood.  Tradition  is  shadowy;  memories 
may  be  imperfect ;  history,  even,  is  largely  poetic,  with  an 
admixture  of  fiction.  But  a  nation's  language  is  itself  - 
the  record  of  the  day  and  the  hour,  and  the  honest  reality 
of  its  thinking,  acting,  and  speaking.  Words  are  things, 
and  therefore  in  everything  that  they  fairly  indicate  they 
are  reliable.  In  the  study  of  words  we  trace  the  stream 
of  knowledge  to  its  sources,  explore  its  fruitful  branches 
and  its  delta,  where,  by  a  hundred  mouths,  it  brings  ac- 
cumulated treasures  to  a  common  reservoir  of  human 
thought,  whence  exhales  a  healthful  influence  that  re- 
freshes the  whole  earth. 

Connection  between  Words  and  Emotions. —  The 
connection  between  the  words  we  utter  and  the  moral 
emotions  is  palpable  to  everyone  that  has  studied  the 
mental  processes  of  his  own  consciousness.  Physiolog- 
ically, the  connection  between  the  vocal  organs  and  the 
brain  is  known  to  be  delicately  sensitive  and  powerfully 
reciprocal.  The  same  may  be  true,  metaphysically,  be- 
tween the  verbal  definitions  in  our  mental  activities  and 
the  permanent  impressions  of  principles  on  the  mental 
and  moral  emotions.  In  the  spiritual  state,  these  verbal 
mental  processes  place  in  permanent  forms  what  words, 
uttered  or  written,  stereotype  in  vocables.  They  are  then 
ours,  adopted  —  they  attach  to  the  mind  as  a  part  of  itself 
and  become  permanently  operative.  A  man's  thoughts, 
which  are  words  uttered  within  himself,  are  the  record 


DERIVATION   AND   COMPOSITION    OF   WORDS         69 

by  which  he  may  read  himself  as  truly  as  the  opinion, 
written  or  spoken  and  defended,  reveals  him  to  others. 
Habits  of  thinking  are  as  important  influences  —  often 
more  important  —  on  the  character  as  habits  of  speak- 
ing. Hence  the  wisdom  of  that  old  caution,  "  Be  care- 
ful of  thy  words,  whether  in  thought  or  in  utterance." 


CHAPTER  II 
PREFIXES  AND  SUFFIXES 

Prefixes  and  Suffixes. —  Many  English  words  are 
formed  from  other  English  words  by  means  of  prefixes 
and  suffixes.  A  letter,  syllable,  or  word  joined  to  the 
beginning  of  a  word  is  called  a  prefix;  a  letter  or  syllable 
joined  to  the  end  is  called  a  suffix.  Thus,  from  tell  is 
formed  foretell,  by  joining  a  prefix;  and  from  do  is 
formed  doer,  by  joining  a  suffix.  A  word  may  take  two 
or  more  prefixes  or  suffixes  at  the  same  time.  Thus,  re- 
pro-duce  contains  two  prefixes,  re  and  pro ;  wonderfully 
contains  two  suffixes,  ful  and  ly. 

Some  of  our  prefixes  and  suffixes  are  of  Saxon  origin 
and  others  are  from  the  Latin.  Some  of  them  are  words 
that  may  be  used  separately,  while  the  greater  part  are 
inseparable,  that  is,  they  never  are  used  by  themselves. 
Many  prefixes  that  are  inseparable  in  English  are  sepa- 
rable in  the  languages  from  which  they  are  derived. 

In  learning  our  own  language,  we  become  so  familiar 
with  the  meaning  of  most  of  the  prefixes  and  suffixes 
that  as  soon  as  we  have  ascertained  the  sense  of  any  word 
that  is  new  to  us  we  can  tell  what  would  be  the  meaning 
of  the  several  words  framed  from  it  by  such  additions. 
Thus,  after  learning  the  meaning  of  the  word  confirm,  we 
know  what  must  be  the  meaning  of  the  words  confirmed, 
confirmation,  confirmatory,  confirmer,  unconfirmed,  etc., 
from  the  manner  in  which  they  are  varied  from  the  word 
confirm. 

When  a  prefix  ends  with  a  consonant,  that  consonant 
is  often  changed  or  omitted  in  order  that  the  prefix  may 
unite  easily  with  the  word  to  which  it  is  to  be  joined. 

70 


PREFIXES   AND   SUFFIXES  71 

In  the  words  a/fix,  cohere,  implant,  and  suffix,  for  ex- 
ample, the  prefixes  —  originally,  ad,  con,  im  and  sub  — 
are  changed  merely  for  the  sake  of  euphony,  that  is,  to 
produce  a  more  agreeable  sound. 


PREFIXES 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  most  important  pre- 
fixes used  in  forming  English  words.  The  abbreviation 
(L.)  shows  that  the  prefix  is  from  the  Latin;  (G.)  that 
it  is  from  the  Greek.  Prefixes  that  are  inseparable  in 
the  languages  from  which  they  are  derived,  as  explained 
before,  are  denoted  by  the  abbreviation  (insep.). 

A  (when  of  English  or  Saxon  origin),  signifies  in,  on,  or 
at;  as  in  the  words  abed,  aboard,  aloft,  ashore,  aside. 

A,  or  AB  (L.),  from;  as,  avert  (L.),  to  turn  from;  absolve 
(L.),  to  release  from. 

A,  or  AN  (G.  insep.),  destitute  of;  as,  atheist  (G.),  one 
without  a  God;  anarchy  (G.),  want  of  government. 

AD  (Lat.),  which  may  become,  in  composition  as  explained 
above,  a,  ac,  af,  ag,  al,  an,  ap,  ar,  as,  or  at,  signifies  to;  as 
adhere  (L.),  to  stick  to;  ascend  (L.),  to  mount  to;  allot,  to 
assign  to;  attest  (L.),  to  bear  witness  to. 

AM,  or  AMB  (L.  insep.),  round  or  about;  as,  ambient  (L.), 
going  round;  surrounding. 

ANA  (G.),  throughout,  up;  as,  analysis  (G.),  a  loosening 
throughout;  the  solution  of  any  compound;  anatomy  (G.),  a 
cutting  up. 

ANTE  (L.)  before;  as  antecedent  (L.),  going  before. 

ANTI,  or  ANT  (G.),  against;  as  onft'christian  (G.),  against 
or  opposed  to  Christianity;  onf arctic  (G.)  against  or  oppo- 
site to  the  north ;  southern. 

APO,  or  AP  (G.),  from;  as  apostle  (G.),  one  sent  out; 
aphelion  (G.),  from  the  sun. 

BE  (from  the  word  by),  signifies  upon,  over,  about;  as,  be- 
sprinkle,  to  sprinkle  on  or  over.  In  some  words,  the  prefix 
be  seems  to  be  one  of  a  different  origin,  as  in  i^head,  be- 
siege. 

CATA  (G.),  down,  against;  as  cafarrh  (G),  a  flowing 
down;  cataract,  a  dashing  down. 


72  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

CIRCUM  (L.),  around,  or  about;  as,  circumnavigate  (L.), 
to  sail  around;  circumjacent  (L.),  lying  around. 

CON  (in  L.,  CUM),  with,  or  together.  It  takes  several 
forms,  viz.,  co,  cog,  col,  com,  and  cor;  as,  connect  (L.),  to 
bind  together;  cohere  (L.),  to  stick  together;  compress  (L.), 
to  press  together. 

CONTRA  (L.),  against;  as,  contradict  (L.),  to  speak  in  op- 
position. In  many  words  it  takes  the  form  counter;  as,  coun- 
teract (L.),  to  act  against. 

DE  (L.),  from,  or  down  from;  as  deduct  (L.).  to  take 
from;  descend  (L.),  to  go  down  from. 

DIA  (G.),  through;  as,  diameter  (G.),  the  measure 
through. 

Dis,  and  the  forms  di  and  dif  (L.  insep.),  asunder,  apart, 
away;  as,  dissent  (L.),  to  be  of  a  different  opinion;  divert 
(L.),  to  turn  one  aside.  This  prefix  often  has  a  kind  of 
negative  meaning;  as  in  disadvantageous,  not  advantageous. 

E,  or  Ex  (L.  &  G.),  out,  or  out  of;  as,  eject  (L.),  to  cast 
out;  exclude  (L.),  to  shut  out.  It  also  takes  the  forms  ec, 
and  ef;  as  eccentric  (G),  out  of  the  centre;  e/flux  (L.),  a 
flowing  out. 

EN,  or  EM.     See  IN. 

EPI,  or  EP  (G.),  upon,  over,  for;  as  epidemic  (G.),  upon 
a  people;  ephemeral  (G.),  lasting  for  a  day. 

EXTRA  (L.),  beyond;  as,  extraordinary  (L.),  beyond  what 
is  ordinary. 

FORE,  before;  as,  foretell,  to  tell  beforehand. 

HYPER  (G.),  above,  beyond;  as,  w;y/>ercritical,  critical  be- 
yond reason. 

HYPO  (G.),  under;  as,  hypothesis,  a  supposition  taken  as 
the  basis  of  a  theory. 

IN,  or  EN  (L.  &  G.),  in,  on,  or  into;  as,  insert  (L.),  to 
put  in;  incubation  (L.),  sitting  on;  induce  (L.),  to  lead  into; 
engrave  (G.),  to  cut  upon,  or  in.  In  may  become  il,  im,  or 
ir;  and  en  may  become  em.  In  and  its  equivalents  often  de- 
note privation  or  negation;  as,  indecent  (L.),  not  decent;  il- 
legal (L.),  not  legal.  Some  words  are  written  with  in  or  en 
indifferently;  as,  enclose,  or  inclose. 

INTER  (L.),  between,  or  among;  as,  interpose  (L.),  to 
place  between.  It  sometimes  takes  the  form  enter;  as,  enter- 
tain (L). 

INTRO  (L.),  within;  as,  introduce  (L.),  to  lead  within. 

MET  A,  or  MET  (G.),  after,  beyond,  from  one  to  another; 
as,  me/ophysics  (G.),  the  science  which  is  after  or  beyond 


PREFIXES   AND   SUFFIXES  73 

physics;  metonymy  (G.),  a  putting  of  one  word  or  name  for 
another. 

Mis,  signifies  wrong,  erroneous,  defective;  as,  misconduct 
(L.),  wrong  conduct;  misconception  (L.),  an  erroneous  no- 
tion. 

NON  (L.),  not;  as,  nondescript  (L.),  not  described. 

OB  (L.),  denotes  opposition;  as,  object  (L.),  to  cast 
against.  In  composition  it  may  become  oc,  of,  or  op. 

OUT,  beyond;  as  oufdo,  to  surpass. 

PARA,  or  PAR  (G.),  by  the  side  of;  as,  parasite  (G.),  that 
which  grows  or  feeds  at  the  side  of  something;  parish  (G.). 

PER  (L.),  through;  as  pervade  (L.),  to  extend  through. 

PERI  (G.),  around;  as  perimeter  (G.),  the  outer  line,  or 
measure  around  anything. 

POST  (L.),  after;  as,  postscript  (L.),  something  written 
after. 

PRE  (L.),  before;  as,  precede  (L.),  to  go  before;  prejudge 
(L.),  to  judge  before. 

PRETER  (L.),  beyond;  as,  preternatural  (L.),  beyond  na- 
ture. 

PRO  (L.),  for,  forth,  forward;  as  pronoun  (L.),  a  word 
used  instead  of  a  noun;  provoke  (L.),  to  call  forth;  propel 
(L.),  to  drive  forward.  It  takes  the  form  of  pur,  in  pur- 
pose, and  por,  in  portray. 

RE,  or  RED  (L.  insep.),  back  again,  anew;  as,  recall,  to  call 
back;  redeem  (L.),  to  buy  back;  to  ransom. 

RETRO  (L.),  backward;  as,  retrospect  (L.),  a  looking  back- 
ward. 

SE  (L.  insep.),  aside,  apart;  as,  secede  (L.),  to  withdraw; 
Delude  (L.),  to  shut  away,  or  apart. 

SUB,  or  SUBTER  (L.),  under;  as  subscribe  (L.),  to  write 
under;  subterfuge  (L.),  a  flying  under.  It  takes  also  the 
forms  sue,  suf,  sug,  sup,  and  sus. 

SUPER  (L.),  above,  over,  more  than  enough;  as,  supernat- 
ural (L.),  above  nature;  supervision  (L.),  overseeing.  It 
often  takes  the  form  sur;  as,  surcharge,  to  overload. 

SYN  (G.),  with,  together;  as,  synthesis  (G.),  putting  to- 
gether. It  takes  also  the  forms  sy,  syl,  and  syn. 

TRANS,  or  TRA  (L.),  over,  through,  beyond;  as,  trans- 
gress (L.),  to  go  over  a  law,  or  rule;  fronsparent  (L.),  clear 
like  glass;  t reverse  (L.),  to  pass  over. 

UN,  denotes  privation  or  negation  (see  IN)  ;  as,  unbind,  to 
take  off  a  band;  «ncertain  (L.),  not  certain. 

UNDER,  as  undermine;  underrate  (L). 


74  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD    FORM 

WITH,  as  a  prefix,  usually  denotes  opposition,  or  separa- 
tion; as,  withstand  (L.),  to  stand  against;  withdraw,  to  re- 
tire. 

SUFFIXES 

In  the  following  list  of  suffixes,  examples  are  given, 
under  each  suffix,  of  the  several  parts  of  speech  which 
that  suffix  is  used  to  form.  Thus,  under  Ate,  the  ex- 
ample preceded  by  the  abbreviation  a.  illustrates  the 
manner  in  which  ate  is  used  to  form  adjectives;  the 
example  marked  «.  illustrates  its  use  in  forming  nouns.1 

Ac;  a.  demoniac,  like  a  demon;  cardiac  (G.),  pertaining 
to  the  heart. 

ACEOUS;  a.  saponaceous  (L.),  having  the  qualities  of  soap. 

ACY;  n.  obstinacy  (L.),  the  state  or  condition  of  being  ob- 
stinate. 

AGE  ;  n.  bondage,  the  condition  of  one  bound ;  coinage,  the 
doing  of  work  upon  coins. 

AL;  a.  personal  (L.),  relating  to  persons. — n.  removal 
(L.),  the  act  of  removing. 

AN,  or  IAN;  a.  republican  (L.),  belonging  to  a  republic; 
barbarian,  belonging  to  a  barbarous  people. —  n.  historian, 
one  who  writes  history. 

ANCE,  or  ANCY;  n.  ignorance  (G.),  the  state  of  being 
ignorant;  constancy  (L.),  the  quality  of  being  constant. 

ANT;  a.  abundant  (L.),  being  in  abundance. —  n.  disputant 
(L.),  one  who  does  the  act  or  work  of  disputing. 

AR;  a.  lunar  (L.),  belonging  to  the  moon;  annular  (L.), 
resembling  a  ring. —  n.  liar,  one  who  tell  lies. 

ARD;  n.  drunkard,  one  who  does,  or  is  guilty  of  intemperate 
drinking. 

1  The  signification  of  the  suffixes  must  be  learned  by  observa- 
tion. In  many  cases,  it  is  impossible  so  to  state  it  that  the  student 
can  use  the  statement  as  a  general  definition  in  analyzing  words. 
Should  he  desire  something  like  a  general  definition,  the  words 
italicized  in  the  explanations  of  the  examples  given  in  this  list 
may  be  used  for  this  purpose,  as  the  sentences  are  constructed 
with  a  view  to  such  a  use  of  the  italicized  portion.  In  analyzing 
words,  with  reference  to  their  derivation,  the  student  should  be 
accustomed  to  state  what  part  of  the  word  constitutes  the  suffix, 
—  what  part  or  parts  of  speech  it  is  used  to  form  —  and  how 
it  affects  the  signification  of  the  word  in  question.  A  careful 
study  of  the  examples  here  adduced  and  explained  will  give  the 
student  facility  in  expressing  the  signification  of  the  suffixes  in 
other  cases. 


PREFIXES   AND   SUFFIXES  75 

ARY;  a.  rotary  (L.),  resembling  a  wheel;  planetary  (G.), 
pertaining  to  the  planets. —  n.  aviary  (L.),  a  place  where 
birds  are  kept;  missionary  (L.),  one  who  does  the  work,  or 
bears  the  responsibilities  of  a  mission. 

ATE;  a.  accurate  (L.),  having  the  quality  of  accuracy. — 
n.  magistrate  (L.),  one  who  performs  the  duties  of  a 
ruler. —  z/.  abbreviate  (L.),  tcx  make  short;  navigate,  to  per- 
form the  act  of  sailing. 

BLE;  a.  arable  (L.),  that  can  be  plowed;  laudaftte  (L.), 
that  may  be  praised. 

CLE  ;  n.  vesicle,  a  little  cavity,  or  vessel ;  corpusck,  a  little 
body. 

CULE,  n.  animalcule  (L.),  a  minute  animal. 

DOM  ;  n.  freedom,  the  condition  of  being  free ;  kingdom, 
the  realm  of  a  king. 

EE;  n.  referee  (L-)>  one  who  is  referred  to  for  a  decision. 

EER;  n.  engineer,  one  who  does  the  work  of  managing  an 
engine. 

EN;  v.  blacken,  to  make  black. 

ENCE,  or  ENCY;  n.  presence  (L.),  the  state  of  being  pres- 
ent; tendency  (L),  the  act  or  quality  of  tending  toward. 

ENT;  a.  prudenf  (L-)»  having  the  quality  of  prudence. — 
n.  studenf,  a  person  who  studies. 

ER;  n.  carrier,  one  zy/to  does  the  work  of  carrying. — a. 
broader,  more  broad. 

ERY;  n.  distillery  (L.),  a  place  where  distilling  is  carried 
on. 

ESCENCE;  n.  convalescence  (L.),  state  of  growing  or  be- 
coming healthy. 

ESCENT;  a.  putrescent,  becoming  putrid. 

Ess;  a  suffix  denoting  feminine  gender;  as,  n.  lioness,  a 
female  lion. 

FUL;  a.  joyful,  full  of  joy. 

HOOD;  n.  widow/tooo1,  the  condition  of  being  a  widow. 

Ic;  a.  heroic,  like  a  hero,  or  having  the  quality  of  hero- 
ism. 

ICE;  n.  cowardice,  the  quality  of  being  cowardly. 

Ics ;  n.  optics  (G.),  the  science  of  vision;  mathematics 
(G.),  the  science  of  quantity. 

ID;  a.  frigid  (L.),  having  the  quality  of  coldness. 

ILE;  a.  fragile  (L.),  that  may  be  broken;  puerile  (L.), 
like,  or  pertaining  to  a  boy. 

INE;  a.  canine  (L.),  pertaining  to  dogs;  alkaline,  like,  or 
having  the  qualities  of  an  alkali. 

ION;  n.  rebellion   (L.),  the  act  of  rebelling;  expansion 


76  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

(L.),   the  act  of  expanding,  or  state  of  being  expanded. 

ISH;  a.  whiti$7t;  somewhat  white;  boyish,  like  a  boy. — v. 
publish  (L.),  to  make  public;  vanish,  to  do  the  thing  de- 
noted by  the  word  disappear. 

ISM,  or  ASM  ;  n.  heroism,  the  state  of  being  a  hero ;  criti- 
cism (G.),  the  practice  of  criticising;  Hebraism,  an  idiom  of 
the  Hebrew  language. 

Isx;  n.  artist  (L.),  one  who  does  work  in  any  branch  of 
art;  fiorist  (L.),  one  who  practises  the  art  of  cultivating 
flowers ;  Calvinirt,  one  who  is  a  follower  of  the  doctrines  of 
John  Calvin. 

ITE  ;  n.  favorite,  one  who  is  beloved ;  Israelite,  one  belong- 
ing to  the  nation  of  Israel. 

IVE;  a.  instructive  (L-),  fitted  to  give  instruction;  active 
(L.),  having  power  or  fitness  to  act. 

IZE,  or  ISE;  v.  fertilise  (L-),  to  make  or  render  fertile. 

LESS;  a.  fearless,  without  fear;  penniless,  destitute  of  a 
penny. 

LET;  n.  streamlet,  a  little  stream. 

LIKE;  a.  warlike,  resembling  war. 

LING;  n.  a  suffix  denoting  littleness,  as  in  sapling,  year- 
ling lordling. 

LY;  a.  beastly,  like  a  beast. —  adv.  proudly,  in  a  manner 
exhibiting  pride;  fixedly  (L.),  in  a  manner  unchanging  or 
unmoved. 

MENT;  n.  banishment  the  state  of  being  banished,  or  the 
act  of  banishing;  accompaniment,  that  which  accompanies. 

MONY;  n.  acrimony  (L.),  the  quality  of  sharpness  or  se- 
verity. In  the  words  testimony  (L.),  matrimony  (L.), 
patrimony,  &c.,  the  suffix  many  is  used  with  a  singular  va- 
riety of  signification. 

NESS;  n.  firmness  (L.),  the  state  of  being  firm;  littleness, 
the  quality  or  circumstance  of  being  little. 

OR;  n.  governor  (L.),  one  who  does  that  which  is  denoted 
by  the  word  govern. 

ORY;  a.  preparatory  (L.),  fitted  or  designed  to  prepare. — 
n.  observatory  (L.),  a  place  where  observations  are  taken. 

OSE;  a.  verbose  (L.),  abounding  in  words. 

Ous;  a.  dangerous,  partaking  of  danger;  courageous 
(L.),  having  the  quality  of  courage.  V. 

SHIP;  n.  clerkship,  the  place,  or  office  of  a  clerk;  friend- 
ship,  the  condition  or  relation  of  being  a  friend. 

SOME;  a.  quarrelsome,  characterized  by  a  disposition  to 
quarrel;  burdensome,  having  the  quality  or  character  of  op- 
pressiveness. 


PREFIXES   AND   SUFFIXES  77 

STER;  n.  teamster,  one  whose  business  it  is  to  drive  a 
team. 

TUDE;  n.  servitude  (L.),  the  condition  of  slavery;  forti- 
tude  (L.),  the  quality  of  bravery. 

TY;  n.  ability  (L.),  the  condition  or  state  of  being  able. 

URE;  n.  departure  (L.),  the  act  of  departing;  posture,  the 
condition  of  being  in  a  particular  position;  furniture,  the 
thing  furnished. 

WARD;  adv.  eastward,  in  the  direction  of  the  east. —  a. 
awkward,  having  the  quality  of  uncouthness. 

Y ;  a.  dewy,  covered  with  dew ;  watery,  partaking  of  water. 
—  n.  modesty  (L.),  the  quality  or  state  of  being  modest. 


CHAPTER  III 

WORDS  DERIVED  FROM  THE  LATIN  AND  THE 
GREEK 

Pronunciation. —  Latin  words  are  usually  pronounced 
in  this  country  in  accordance  with  the  general  principles 
of  English  pronunciation.  The  following  directions, 
however,  are  necessary  for  those  who  have  not  studied 
Latin,  and  should  be  carefully  observed. 

Every  Latin  word  has  as  many  syllables  as  there  are 
vowels  or  diphthongs  in  it.  Thus,  in  the  expression 
bona  fide,  in  good  faith,  the  word  fide  has  two  syllables, 
the  e  being  sounded  as  e  in  me.  In  like  manner  the 
words  voce,  jure,  parte,  lege,  etc.,  are  pronounced  each 
with  two  syllables. 

Words  of  two  syllables  have  the  accent  always  on  the 
first  syllable;  as  a'cer,  a' go,  ar'bor.  In  this  book  the 
accented  syllable  is  marked  in  all  Latin  words  of  more 
than  one  syllable;  and  the  manner  in  which  the  word  is 
divided  will  usually  show  what  sound  is  to  be  given  to 
the  vowel  of  the  accented  syllable. 

When  a  word  of  more  than  one  syllable  ends  with  a, 
that  letter  is  sounded  as  a  in  ah,  except  that  the  sound 
is  not  prolonged;  as  cau'sa,  cate'na. 

The  diphthongs  &  and  ce  are  sounded  as  simple  e 
would  be  in  the  same  place;  thus,  fce'dus  and  am'ulus, 
are  pronounced  as  if  written  je'dus,  em'ulus. 

C  and  g  are  hard  before  a,  o,  and  u,  and  soft  before 
e,  i,  and  y;  thus,  in  the  words  ca'no,  co'lo,  and  cu'ra,  the 
C  has  the  sound  of  k;  in  ce'do  and  ci'vis  it  has  the  sound 
of  s.  So  g,  in  the  words  fuga'tus,  li'go,  and  lon'gus, 

78 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK         79 

has  the  sound  of  g  in  give;  in  the  words  ge'ro  and  gig' no 
it  has  the  sound  of  g  in  gentle. 

Ch  always  sounds  like  k. 

as'  In  the  following  groups  of  words,  a  Latin  word 
placed  in  a  parenthesis  immediately  after  another  Latin 
word,  as  (acris)  after  Acer,  shows  the  form  which  that 
word  assumes  in  the  genitive  case  in  Latin  grammar,  if 
it  be  a  substantive  or  an  adjective;  or  in  the  supine,  or 
some  other  inflection,  if  it  be  a  verb. 

In  the  several  paragraphs,  the  words  are  not  always 
arranged  in  exact  alphabetical  order,  because  it  is  de- 
sirable that  words  formed  immediately  and  obviously 
from  the  Latin  word  should  be  placed  before  those  of 
which  the  derivation  is  more  remote. 

Acade'mia  (G),  a  place  near  Athens,  where 
Plato  taught  philosophy. 

ACAD'EMY,  a  high  shool. —  ACADEM'IC,  belonging  to  a  school 
or  college. 

A'cer  (a'cm),  sour,  pungent.  Acu'tus,  sharp. 
ACER'BITY,  sharpness  of  disposition. —  AC'RID,  of  a  biting 
taste. —  AC'RIMONY,  sharpness;  ill-nature. —  ACID'ULATE,  to 
flavor  with  acid. —  ACID'ITY,  sourness ;  tartness. —  ACUTE', 
sharp-witted;  pointed. —  ACU'MEN  (Lat.  acumen,  a  sharp 
point),  intellectual  penetration;  quickness  of  perception. 

Ach'os  (G),  pain. 
ACHE,  to  suffer  pain. —  ACH'ING,  painful. 

Adel'phos  (G),  a  brother. 
This  word  is  used  often  in  forming  botanical  terms. 

A'er  (G),  the  air. 

AE'RIAL,  consisting  of  air. —  A'EROLITE,  a  meteoric  stone. — 
A'ERONAUT,  one  who  sails  in  the  air. —  AEROSTA'TION,  aerial 
navigation. —  AEROL'OGY,  that  branch  of  philosophy  which 
treats  of  the  air. 

A'ger  (afgri},  a  field. 

AGRA'RIAN,  relating  to  lands.1  —  AG'RICULTURE,  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  ground. —  AGRICUI/TURIST,  a  farmer. 

1  The  agrarian  laws  of  ancient  Rome,  which  caused  much  civil 


8o         GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

A'gere  (ac'tum),  to  do;  to  perform. 

ACT,  to  behave;  to  perform. —  AC'TION,  a  performance. — 
ACTI/ITY,  AGIL'ITY,  quickness  of  motion. —  AC'TUAL,  real; 
existing  in  act. —  AC'TUARY,  a  register  or  clerk. —  A'GENT, 
a  doer ;  one  intrusted  with  business. —  AG'ITATE,  to  put  into 
motion  or  excitement. —  ENACT',  to  decree. —  EXACT',  v.  to 
take  by  authority  or  force. —  EXACT',  a.  accurate. —  TRANS- 
ACT', to  conduct  or  perform. 

A'gein   (G),  to  lead. 

DEM'AGOGUE,  a  leader  of  the  people. —  PED'AGOGUE,  a  school- 
master. 

A'gon  (G),  a  contest. 
AG'ONY,  anguish. —  AG'ONIZE,  to  writhe  with  pain. 

Al'gos  (G),  pain. 
CEPH'ALALGIA,  headache. —  ODONTAL'GIA,  toothache. 

A'lius,  other;  another.    Alie'nus,  foreign. 
AL'IEN,  foreign;  estranged. —  AL'IENATE,  to  transfer  to  an- 
other;   to    estrange. —  ALIEN  A'TION,    estrangement. —  IN- 
AL'IENABLE,  that  cannot  be  transferred  or  alienated. 

Akou'ein  (G),  to  hear. 

ACOUS'TICS,  the  science  of  sounds. —  OTACOUS'TIC  (G),  the 
ears ;  fitted  to  aid  the  hearing. 

Ak'ron  (G),  the  extremity. 

ACROP'OLIS,  the  height  or  citadel. —  ACROS'TIC,  a  kind  of  poet- 
ical composition. 

AUaj/is  (G),  a  change. 

PAR'ALLATC,  an  astronomical  term. —  PARALLAC'TIC,  pertain- 
ing to  the  parallax. 

A'lere  (al'itum,  or  al'tum),  to  feed;  to  nourish. 
AL'IMENT,  nourishment. —  ALIMENT'ARY,  pertaining  to  food. 
—  COALESCE'  (L  coalesce),  to  grow  together;  to  unite. — 
COALI'TION,  combination;  union. 

Al'pha  (G),  the  first  letter  in  the  Greek  alphabet. 
AL'PHABET,  a  list  of  the  letters  of  a  language. —  ALPHABET'- 
ICAL,  pertaining  to  the  alphabet. 

commotion,  related  to  the  distribution  of  public  lands  among  the 
people. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK         8 1 

An'emos  (G),  the  wind. 
ANEMOM'ETER,  a  wind  gauge. —  ANEM'ONE,  the  wind-flower. 

An'er  —  genitive  audros  (G),  a  man.* 

AN'DROID,  a  machine  in  human  form. —  ANDROPH'AGUS,  a 
man-eater. 

Angel'los  (G),  a  messenger. 

AN'GEL,  a  spirit;  a  spiritual  messenger. —  EVAN'GELIST,  a 
preacher  of  the  gospel.  The  Greek  prefix  eu  means 
"  good." 

An'thos  (G),  a  flower. 

ANTHOL'OGY,  a  discourse  on  flowers;  a  gathering  of  divers 
subjects. —  HELIAN'THUS,  the  sunflower. 

Anthro'pos  (G),  man. 

MIS'ANTHROPE,  a  hater  of  mankind. —  PHILANTHROPIST,  a 
friend  of  the  human  race. 

Al'ter,  the  other.    Alte/nus,  one  after  the  other. 
ALTERCA'TION,   quarrelling;    disputing. —  ALTERNATELY,   one 
after  the  other. —  ALTERNATION,  succession;  performance 
by  turns. —  ALTERNATIVE,  a  choice  of  two  things. 

Al'tus,  lofty. 
AL'TITUDE,  height. —  EXALT',  to  raise,  lift. 

Am'bulare  (ambula'tum),  to  walk. 

AM'BULATORY,  pertaining  to  the  act  of  walking. —  AM'BLE, 
to  walk  or  run  in  an  artificial  manner. —  PERAM'BULATE,  to 
walk  through. 

A' mare  (ama'tum),  to  love. 

AMATEUR'  (Fr),  a  lover  of  the  fine  arts. —  A'MIABLE, 
lovely;  worthy  to  be  loved. —  AMIABIL'ITY,  loveli- 
ness.—  AM'ICABLE,  friendly,  peaceable. —  AM'ITY,  friend- 
ship; good-will. —  ENAM'ORED,  inflamed  with  love;  fond. 

Am'plus,  large. 

AM'PLE,  large;  liberal. —  AM'PLY,  largely. —  AM'PLIFY,  to  en- 
large.—  AMPLIFICATION,  enlargement ;  extension. —  AM'- 
PLITUDE,  largeness. 

*  In  Greek  and  Latin  nouns  the  root  of  the  word  always  ap- 
pears in  the  genitive  case  (same  as  the  possessive  in  English), 
but  not  always  in  the  nominative. 


82  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

An'gere  (anx'i),  to  vex. 

AN'GER,  wrath. —  AN'GUISH,  extreme  pain. —  ANXIETY,  so- 
licitude.—  AN'XIOUS,  solicitous. 

An'gulus,  a  corner. 

AN'GLE,  a  corner. —  AN'GULAR,  having  corners. —  RECT'- 
ANGLE,  a  right-angled,  four-sided  figure. —  TRI'ANGLE,  a 
three  cornered  figure. —  QUAD'RANGLE,  a  square. 

An'ima,  the  life,  or  spiritual  principle.    An'imus,  the  mind. 

ANI'MAL,  a  living  creature. —  ANIMAL'CULE,  a  minute  ani- 
mal.—  AN'IMATE,  to  make  alive. —  ANIMADVERT',  to  con- 
sider or  criticise. —  INAN'IMATE,  lifeless. —  ANIMA'TION, 
liveliness. —  ANI'MOSITY,  violent  hatred. —  UNANIM'ITY, 
agreement  in  opinion. —  UNAN'IMOUS,  of  one  mind. — 
EQUANIM'ITY,  evenness  of  mind. —  MAGNANIM'ITY,  great- 
ness of  mind. —  PUSILLANIMITY  (L,  pusillus,  weak),  cow- 
ardice. 

An'nus,  a  year. 

AN'NUAL,  happening  yearly. —  ANNU'ITY,  a  yearly  income. — 
ANNU'ITANT,  one  who  receives  an  annuity. —  ANNIVER'- 
SARY,  a  stated  day,  returning  with  the  revolution  of  the 
year. —  AN'NALS,  yearly  records. —  BIEN'NIAL,  of  two 
years. —  TRIEN'NIAL,  happening  every  three  years. — 
SEMIANNUAL,  happening  twice  a  year. —  SEPTEN'NIAL,  of 
seven  years. —  SUPERANNUATED,  impaired  by  old  age. — 
PEREN'NIAL,  continuing  through  the  year. —  MILLEN'- 
NIUM,  a  thousand  years. 

An'nulus,  a  ring. 

AN'NULAR,  in  the  form  of  a  ring. —  SEM'I-ANNULAR,  having 
the  form  of  half  a  ring. 

An'tiquus,  ancient. 

AN'TIQUARY,  one  who  seeks  ancient  things. —  AN'TIQUATED, 
old;  out  of  date. —  ANTIQUE'  (Fr),  belonging  to  old  times; 
a  relic  of  ancient  times. —  AN'CIENT,  old. 

Ape'rire,  to  open. 
APE'RIENT,  laxative. —  AP'ERTURE,  an  opening. 

Ap'tein  (G),  to  fit  or  join. 

APT,  fit;  inclined  to. —  APT'NESS,  fitness;  quickness  of  appre- 
hension.—  AP'TITUDE,  tendency;  disposition. —  ADAPT',  to 
adjust ;  to  fit  one  thing  to  another. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM   LATIN   AND   GREEK         83 

A'qua,  water. 

AQUAT'IC,  living  in  or  on  the  water. —  A'QUEOUS,  watery. — 
AQ'UEDUCT,  a  channel  for  water. —  TERRA'QUEOUS,  consist- 
ing of  land  and  water. 

A/biter,  a  judge  or  umpire. 

ARBITRATOR,  a  judge  appointed  by  opposite  parties  to  decide 
between  them. —  AR'BITRATE,  to  decide. —  AR'BITRARY,  ca- 
pricious; absolute. 

A/bor,  a  tree. 

AR'BOR,  a  bower. —  AR'BORIST,  one  who  cultivates  trees  and 
shrubs. —  AR'BORICULTURE,  the  art  of  cultivating  trees  and 
shrubs. 

A/cere,  to  hinder  or  restrain. 
COERCE',  to  restrain  by  force. —  COER'CION,  restraint. 

A/che  (G),  the  beginning;  government. 
AN'ARCHY,  want  of  government. —  AR'CHAISM,  an  ancient 
phrase. —  ARCHAN'GEL,  the  highest  angel. —  ARCHEOL'OGY, 
a  discourse  on  antiquity. —  AR'CHETYPE,  the  original  or 
model. —  AR'CHITECT  (G,  tekton,  a  builder),  one  skilled  in 
building. —  AR'CHIVES,  records. —  PA'TRIARCH  (G,  pater,  a 
father),  the  father  and  ruler  of  a  family. 

Ardere  {a/ si),  to  burn. 

AR'DENT,  burning;  passionate. —  AR'DOR,  heat;  earnestness. 
—  AR'SON,  setting  fire  to  a  dwelling. 

A/gos  (G),  inactive. 
LETH'ARGY,  drowsiness;  stupidity. —  LETHAR'GIC,  inactive. 

Arguere,  to  argue. 

AR'GUE,  to  reason;  to  dispute. —  AR'GUMENT,  a  reason  of- 
fered; controversy. —  ARGUMENTATION,  reasoning. —  AR- 
GUMENT7 ATIVE,  containing  argument. 

Arts' 't os  (G),  best. 

ARISTOCRACY,  the  rule  or  government  of  the  nobility. — 
ARISTOCRAT,  one  who  favors  an  aristocracy. 

Arith'mos  (G),  number. 

ARITH'METIC,  the  science  of  numbers. —  LOG'ARITHM,  a 
mathematical  term. 


84         GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Ark'tos  (G),  a  bear. 
Anc'Tic,2  northern.  —  ANTARC/TIC,S  southern. 


arms,  weapons. 

ARM,  v.  to  take  arms.  —  ARMS,  weapons;  war.  —  DISARM',  to 
deprive  of  weapons.  —  AR'MY,  a  number  of  armed  men.  — 
AR'MISTICE,  a  cessation  of  hostilities.  —  AR'MORER,  one  who 
makes  arms.  —  AR'MOR,  defensive  weapons.  —  AR'MORY,  the 
place  where  arms  are  kept  or  made.  —  AR'MAMENT, 
ARMA'DA,  (Sp.),  a  naval  warlike  force.  —  ARMO'RIAL,  be- 
longing to  the  escutcheon  of  a  family. 

A'rare,  to  plough. 
AR'ABLE,  capable  of  being  ploughed.  —  INAR'ABLE,  not  arable. 

Aro'ma  (G),  spicy  flavor. 

AROMAT'IC,  fragrant;  spicy.  —  AR'OMATIZE,  to  give  a  spicy 
taste. 

Ars    (aStis),  art,  skill. 

ART,  skill,  cunning;  a  trade.  —  ART'IST,  a  professor  of  an 
art.  —  ARTISAN,  ARTIFICER;  a  workman,  an  operative.  — 
ARTIFICIAL,  made  by  art,  not  genuine.  —  ART'IFICE,  strata- 
gem. —  ART'FUL,  cunning.  —  ART'LESS,  unskilful;  without 
fraud.  —  INERT',  dull  ;  motionless. 

Artic'ulus,  a  joint  or  limb. 

AR'TICLE,  a  single  thing  ;  a  part  of  speech.  —  ARTIC'ULATE,  v. 
to  speak  distinctly;  to  join.  —  ARTIC'ULATE,  a.  distinct; 
branched  out  into  joints.  —  ARTIC'ULATELY,  with  distinct- 
ness of  sound.  —  ARTICULA'TION,  a  juncture  of  bones;  the 
knots  in  the  stalk  of  a  plant;  speech. 

As'kein  (G),  to  exercise;  to  train. 

ASCET'IC,  a.  self  mortifying;  austere;  retired  from  the  world. 
—  ASCET'IC,  n.  one  who  retires  from  the  world  and 
devotes  himself  to  religious  discipline. 

Asfper,  rough. 
ASPER'ITY,  roughness.  —  EXAS'PERATE,  to  enrage. 

AStron  (G),  a  star. 

AS'TERISK,  a  mark  like  a  star.  —  ASTROL'OGY,  divination  by 
the  stars.  —  AS'TRAL,  star-like.  —  ASTRON'OMY,  the  science 
of  the  stars. 

2  Literally,  pertaining  to  the  constellation  called  the  Bear. 
8  Opposite  to  the  north  or  the  north  pole. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK         85 

Ath'los  (G),  a  combat. 

ATHLET'IC,  pertaining  to  active  sports;  vigorous. —  ATH-' 
LETE,  a  contender  for  victory. 

At'mos  (G),  vapor;  steam. 

AT'MOSPHERE,  the  air  above  us. —  ATMOSPHER'IC,  pertaining 
to  the  atmosphere. 

Au'dire  (audi'tum),  to  hear. 

AUD'IBLE,  that  can  be  heard. —  AUD'IENCE,  a  hearing;  the 
persons  assembled  to  hear. —  AUD'IT  (L),  to  examine  an 
account. —  AUD'ITOR,  a  hearer;  an  examiner. —  AUD'ITORY, 
an  assembly  of  hearers. 

Au'gere  (aux'i,  auc'tutn),  to  increase. 

AUGMENT',  to  increase. —  AUGMENTATION,  enlargement. — 
AUC'TION,  a  sale  by  bidding  more  and  more. —  AUC- 
TIONEER', one  who  holds  an  auction. —  AU'THORIZE,  to  give 
authority. —  AU'THOR  (the  Latin  word  is  aucftor),  an  orig- 
inator; a  writer. —  AUTHOR'ITY,  legal  power;  influence. — 
AUXIL'IARV,  helping. 

Au'los  (G),  a  pipe. 

HYDRAU'LIC,  transmitting  water  through  pipes. —  HYDRAU'- 
LICS,  the  science  of  motion  and  the  force  of  fluids. 

Au'tos  (G),  oneself. 

AU'TOCRAT,  a  despotic  ruler. —  AU'TOGRAPH,  one's  handwrit- 
ing.—  AUTOM'ATON,  a  self-moving  machine. —  AUTON'OMY, 
the  right  of  self-government. 

A'vis,  a  bird.  Au'gur,  Aus'pex  (aus'picis),  a  soothsayer. 
A'VIARY,  a  place  enclosed  to  keep  birds  in. —  AU'GUR,  n.  one 
who  predicted  by  observing  birds. —  AU'GUR,  v.  to  fore- 
bode.—  INAU'GURATE,  to  invest  with  an  office  by  solemn 
rites. —  AUS'PICES  (L),  the  omens  of  an  undertaking. — 
AUSPIC'IOUS,  favorable. 

Bac'chus,  in  heathen  mythology,  the  god  of  wine. 
BAC'CHANAL,  one  who  indulges  in  drunken  revelry. — BAC- 
CHANA'LIAN,  pertaining  to  drunken  revelry. 

Bal'lein  (G),  to  cast  or  throw. 
EM'BLEM,*    a    representation. —  HYPER'SOLE,'    an    exaggera- 

4  The  Greek  word  emblema  signifies  anything  inserted;  hence, 
mosaic  work,  or  a  picture. 
6  A  casting  over  or  beyond. 


86  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

tion. —  PAR'ABLE,  a  similitude. —  PROBLEM,6  a  question  pro- 
posed.—  SYM'BOL,  a  sign. 

Baptizein  (G),  to  baptize. 

BAP'TISM,  a  Christian  sacrament. —  BAPTIS'MAL,  pertaining 
to  baptism. —  PE'DOBAPTIST,  one  who  believes  in  infant 
baptism. 

Bea'tus,  happy;  blessed. 

BEATIF'IC,  fitted  to  bless  or  make  happy. —  BEATITUDE, 
blessedness;  a  blessing  pronounced. 

Bel'lum,  war. 

BELLIG'ERENT,  waging  war. —  REBEL,  one  who  revolts. — 
REBELLION,  insurrection. 

Ba'ros  (G),  weight. 

BAROM'ETER,  an  instrument  for  measuring  the  pressure  of 
the  atmosphere. —  BAR'YTONE,  having  a  grave,  deep  sound. 

Ba'sis  (G),  a  foundation, 

BASIS,  a  foundation ;  a.  mean. —  DEBASE',  to  render  mean  or 
vile. 

Befne,  well. 

BOUN'TY  (L,  bo'nus,  good),  generosity. —  BENIGN,  kind; 
favorable. —  BENEF'ICENT,  kind;  doing  good. —  BENEF'- 
ICENCE,  active  goodness. —  BEN'EFIT,  advantage. —  BENEFI'- 
CIAL,  advantageous. —  BEN'EFICE,  a  church  living. — 
BENEFACTOR,  one  who  confers  a  benefit. —  BENEDIC'TION,  a 
blessing. —  BENEVOLENCE,  disposition  to  do  good. 

Be'ta  (G),  the  second  letter  of  the  Greek  alphabet. 

Bib'los,  a  book. 

BI'BLE,  the  Holy  Scriptures. —  BIB'LICAL,  pertaining  to  the 
Bible. —  BIBLIOG'RAPHY,  a  history  or  description  of  books. 

Bifos  (G),  life. 

AMPHIB'IOUS,T  having  the  power  of  living  in  two  elements. 
—  BIOG'RAPHY,  the  history  of  a  person's  life. 

Bi'bere,  to  drink. 

BIB'BER,  a  tippler. —  BIBA'CIOUS,  fond  of  drinking. —  BIB'- 
ULOUS,  absorbing. —  IMBIBE',  to  drink  in. 

6  Something  cast  or  placed  before  one. 
1  Literally,  having  double  life. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN    AND   GREEK         87 

Bis,  twice. 

BISECT',  to  cut  into  two  equal  parts. —  BISECTION,  division 
into  two  equal  parts. —  BIS'CUIT,  hard,  dry,  flat  bread. — 
COMBINE'  (L,  bi'ni,  two  by  two),  to  unite. —  BI'PED,  an  ani- 
mal having  two  feet. —  Bi' VALVE  (val'va,  folding-doors), 
a  molluscous  animal,  having  two  valves  or  shells;  an 
oyster ;  a  mussel,  etc. 

Bot'ane  (G),  an  herb  or  plant. 

BOT'ANY,  the  science  of  vegetable  life. —  BOT'ANIST,  one 
skilled  in  botany. 

Bou'colos  (G),  a  herdsman. 
BUCOL'IC,  a.  pastoral. —  BUCOL'IC,  n.  a  pastoral  poem. 

Brei/is,  short. 

BREVET',  a  commission  without  seal,  giving  title  and  rank  in 
the  army  above  that  for  which  pay  is  received. —  BREVET', 
taking  rank  by  brevet. —  BREV'ITY,  shortness. —  ABBRE'- 
VIATE,  to  shorten. —  BRIEF,  a.  short ;  concise.  BRIEF,  n.  a 
pleader's  notes. 

Ca'dere  (ca'sum),  to  fall. 

CA'DENCE,  fall  of  the  voice. —  DECA'DENCE,  falling;  decay. — 
CASE,  state  of  a  thing. —  CAS'UAL,  happening  by  chance. — 
CAS'UALTY,  accident. —  CASCADE  ;  a  waterfall. —  AC'CIDENT, 
that  which  happens  unforeseen. —  COINCIDE',  to  agree. — 
COINCIDENCE,  concurrence. —  DECAY',  to  fall  away. — 
DECID'UOUS,  falling. —  IN'CIDENT,  n.  an  event. —  IN'CIDENT, 
a.  likely  to  happen  as  an  attendant  event. —  OCCA'SION,  op- 
portunity; time  of  a  particular  occurrence. —  OC'CIDENT, 
the  west,  where  the  sun  sets. 

Ca'dere  (c&'sum),  to  cut;  to  kill. 

INCIS'ION,  a  cut  into  any  thing. —  EXCIS'ION,  a  cutting  out. — 
EXCISE',  a  duty  on  goods. —  CONCISE',  short,  brief. —  DE- 
CIDE', to  determine. —  DECIS'ION,  determination. —  PRE'- 
CISE',  exact ;  strict. —  PRECIS'ION,  exact  limitation. —  FRAT'- 
RICIDE,  killing  a  brother. —  HOM'ICIDE,  manslaughter;  a 
manslayer. —  INFAN'TICIDE,  killing  an  infant. —  MAT'RI- 
CIDE,  killing  a  mother. —  PAR'RICIDE,  killing  a  father. — 
SUI'CIDE,  self-murder. —  REG'ICIDE,  murder  of  a  king. 

Cal'idus,  warm  or  hot. 

CAL'DRON,  a  boiler;  a  large  kettle. —  CALOR'IC,  the  element 
of  heat. —  SCALD,  to  burn  with  a  boiling  fluid. 


88  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

Calx  (cal'ds),  chalk;  limestone.     Cal'culus,  a  little  pebble. 
CALCINE',  to  expel  all  volatile  ingredients  from  a  compound 
by  heat  (as  water  and  carbonic  acid  from  limestone  in 
the  manufacture  of  lime)  ;  to  reduce  to  powder  or  ashes. 

—  CAI/CULATE,  to  reckon.     [Anciently,  pebbles  were  used 
in  numerical  computation.]  —  INCALCULABLE,  that  cannot 
be  calculated;  beyond  calculation. 

Can'dere,  to  glow  with  heat. 

CAN'DLE,  a  tallow  or  wax  light. —  IN'CENSE,  n.  perfumes 
burnt. —  INCENSED  v.  to  enrage. —  INCEN'TIVE,  inducement. 

—  INCEND'IARY,  one  who  sets  houses,  etc.,  on  fire. —  CAN'- 
DOR,  sincerity.     [This  signification  is  derived  figuratively 
from  the  light  pertaining  to  a  red-hot  substance.]  —  CAN'- 
DID,    open,    ingenuous. —  CAN'DIDATE,    one    proposed    for 
office,  or  preferment.8 

Ca'nis,  a  dog. 

CA'NINE,  pertaining  to  dogs. —  CANICULAR,  pertaining  to 
the  dog-star. 

Can'tus,  a  song. 

CHANT,  a  kind  of  sacred  music. —  CHAN'TICLEER,  the  cock 
that  crows. —  CAN'TICLE,  a  song;  the  Song  of  Solomon. — 
CAN'TO  (It.),  a  section  of  a  poem. —  CANT,  a  set  phraseol- 
ogy used  to  manifest  religious  zeal. —  DESCANT',  to  dis- 
course in  a  formal  manner. —  AC'CENT,  a  modification  of 
the  voice. —  ENCHANT',  to  delight  highly. —  INCANTA'- 
TION,  charms  by  singing. —  RECANT',  to  recall,  to  retract. 

.  Ca'pere  {cap' turn},  to  take. 

CA'PABLE,  able  to  do  or  take. —  CAPA'CIOUS,  large,  holding 
much. —  CAPAC'ITATE,  to  enable;  to  qualify. —  CAP'TIOUS, 
peevish;  cavilling. —  CAP'TIVATE,  to  take  prisoner;  to 
charm. —  CAP'TIVE,  a  prisoner. —  CAP'TOR,  one  who  takes 
a  prize. —  CAP'TURE,  a  seizure. —  ACCEPT',  to  receive. — 
ACCEPTABLE,  grateful ;  pleasing. —  INTERCEPT',  to  seize  on 
the  way;  to  stop. —  OCCUPA'TION,  possession;  employment. 

—  OC'CUPY,  to  possess. —  PARTICIPATE,   to  share. —  PAR'- 
TICIPLE,  a  word  partaking  of  the  nature  of  an  adjective 
and  of  a  verb. —  RECEIPT',  a  taking ;  acknowledgment  for 
money   paid. —  RECEIVE',   to  take,   to   admit. —  REC'IPE,    a 
medical  prescription.9  —  RECIP'IENT,  one  who  takes. 

8  Among  the  ancient  Romans,  those  who  sought  the  consulship 
wore  robes  of  remarkable  whiteness,  and  were  thence  called 
candidate. 

8  Recipe  is  an  imperative  form  of  the  verb  recipio,  and  would 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM   LATIN   AND   GREEK         89 

Cap'ut  (cap'itis),  the  head. 

CAP'ITAL,  chief ;  principal.10  —  CAPITA'TION,  counting  by 
heads. —  CAPITULATE,  to  surrender  on  conditions.11  — 
CAPE,  a  head-land. —  CAP'TAIN,  a  chief  commander. — 
CHAP'TER,  a  division,  or  head. —  DECAP'ITATE,  to  behead. 

—  PRECIP'ITATE,    v.    to    tumble    headlong;    to    hurry. — 
PRECIP'ITATE,     a.     headstrong ;     hasty. —  PRECIP'ITATELY, 
headlong,  hastily,  rashly. —  PRECIPICE,  a  headlong  steep. 

—  RECAPITULATE,  to  repeat  again  (as  the  topics  or  heads 
of  a  discourse). 

Car'cer,  a  prison. 
INCAR'CERATE,  to  imprison. —  INCARCERATION,  imprisonment. 

Ctfro  (CO/MW),  flesh. 

CAR'NAL,  fleshly,  not  spiritual. —  CAR'NAGE,  slaughter. —  IN- 
CARNA'TION,  the  taking  of  a  body  of  flesh. —  INCAR'NATE, 
embodied  in  flesh. —  CAR'NIVAL,  in  Roman  Catholic  coun- 
tries, a  feast  before  Lent  (goodby  to  flesh). —  CAR'NALLY, 
according  to  the  flesh;  not  spiritually. —  CAR'CASS,  a  dead 
body. —  CARNIVOROUS,  feeding  on  flesh. —  CHAR'NEL- 
HOUSE,  a  place  for  depositing  human  bodies. 

Ca/po,  to  pluck. 

CARP,  to  cavil;  to  find  fault. —  CARP'ING,  captious,  fault- 
finding. 

Casftigo,  to  chastise. 

CAS'TIGATE,  to  punish  by  stripes. —  CASTIGA'TION,  punish- 
ment by  blows. 

Catena,  a  chain. 

CONCATENATION,  a  series  of  links ;  a  successive  order  of 
things  depending  on  one  another  (as,  a  concatenation  of 
causes). 

Cau'sa,  a  cause. 

CAUSE,  that  which  produces  an  effect. —  CAUSELESS,  having 
no  cause. —  ACCUSE',  to  charge  with  a  crime. —  ACCUSA'- 

be  the  first  word  in  a  prescription  written  in  Latin  — "  Take," 
etc.  In  books  of  pharmacy  the  word  is  usually  represented  by  R. 
or  some  other  character. 

10  Capital  crimes  are  those  which  are  punishable  by  loss  of  the 
head  or  of  life  by  some  other  form  of  execution. 

11  The  word  arose  from  the  stipulation  being  drawn  up  under 
heads. 


9O         GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

TION,  the  act  of  charging  with  an  offence  or  crime. —  EX- 
CUSE', to  pardon. —  BECAUSE',  for  this  reason. —  RECU'- 
SANT,  making  opposition. 

Ca'vere  (cau'tum),  to  beware. 

CAU'TION,  prudence  in  respect  to  danger. —  CAU'TIOUS, 
using  caution. —  INCAU'TIOUS,  heedless. —  PRECAU'TION, 
previous  care. 

Ca'vus,  hollow. 

CAVE,  a  hollow  place. —  CON'CAVE,  hollow,  opposed  to  con- 
vex.—  EX'CAVATE,  to  hollow  out. —  ExcAVA'xiON,  a  cavity 
made  by  digging. 

Ce'dere  faces' sum},  to  yield;  to  go  away. 
CEDE,  to  yield  or  give  up. —  CES'SION,  a  giving  up ;  resigna- 
tion.—  CEASE,  to  stop ;  to  leave  off. —  CESSA'TION,  a  stop,  a 
discontinuance. —  ACCEDE',  to  assent  to;  to  agree. —  AC- 
CESS', approach. —  ACCES'SION,  a  coming  to;  an  increase 
by  the  addition  of  something. —  AC'CESSORY,  rendering  aid. 
—  AN'CESTOR  (L,  ante  censor),  a  person  from  whom  one  is 
distantly  a  descendant. —  ANTECE'DENT,  going  before. — 
CONCEDE',  to  admit,  to  grant. —  DECEASE',  departure  from 
this  world ;  death. —  PRECEDE',  to  go  before. —  PRECE'- 
DENCE,  priority,  superiority. —  PREDECES'SOR,  one  that  was 
in  a  place  before  another. —  PREC'EDENT,  an  example. — 
PROCEED',  to  go  forward. —  PROCE'DURE,  manner  of  pro- 
ceeding.—  PROC'ESS,  progressive  course. —  PROCES'SION,  a 
ceremonious  march. —  RECEDE',  to  go  back ;  to  retreat. — 
RECESS',  a  place  or  time  of  retreat. —  SECES'SION,  a  with- 
drawing from. —  SUCCEED',  to  follow  after ;  to  prosper. — 
SUCCESS',  prosperity ;  the  event  of  an  affair. —  SUCCES'- 
SION,  series. —  SUCCESSIVE,  following  in  order. 

Cel'eber,  renowned,  famous. 

CEL'EBRATE,  to  praise ;  to  commend  solemnly. —  CEL'EBRATED, 
renowned,  famous. —  CELEBRA'TION,  a  distinguishing  by 
ceremonies. —  CELEB'RITY,  renown ;  fame. 

Ce'ler,  swift. 
CELER'ITY,  swiftness. —  ACCEL'ERATE,  to  hasten  forward. 

Cel'la,  a  cellar. 

CEL'LAR,  an  underground  store. —  CEL'LARAGE,  charge  for 
storage  in  a  cellar. —  CEL'LARIST,  a  butler ;  one  who  has 
the  care  of  the  cellar. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK         9! 

Ce'lare,  to  cover,  to  hide. 

CONCEAL',  to  hide. —  CONCEAL'MENT,  the  act,  place,  or  mode 
of  hiding. 

Coeflum,  the  heaven. 
CELES'TIAL,  heavenly. —  SUBCELES'TIAL,  beneath  the  heavens. 

C en' sere,  to  judge  or  estimate. 

CEN'SOR,  an  officer  who  examines  the  works  of  authors  be- 
fore they  are  allowed  to  be  printed. —  CENSO'RIOUS,  judg- 
ing severely. —  CEN'SURE,  blame,  reproach. —  CEN'SURABLE, 
blame-worthy. —  CEN'SUS  (L),  an  official  enumeration  of 
the  inhabitants  of  a  country. 

Cen'tum,  a  hundred. 

CENTEN'NIAL,  occurring  once  in  a  hundred  years. —  CEN'- 
TURY,  a  hundred  years. —  CEN'TURION,  an  officer  over  a 
hundred  men. —  CENTENA'RIAN,  a  person  who  is  a  hundred 
years  old. —  PERCENT' AGE,  a  rate,  allowance,  or  estimate 
by  the  hundred. 

Ce/nere  (cre'tum),  to  separate;  to  distinguish;  to  discern. 
CER'TAIN,  determined ;  sure. —  CFR'TIFY,  to  assure. —  CERTIF'- 
ICATE,  a  written  declaration  or  testimony. —  ASCERTAIN', 
to  find  out  certainly. —  CONCERN',  business ;  anxiety. —  DIS- 
CERN', to  see;  to  distinguish. —  DISCREET',  discerning,  pru- 
dent.—  DISCRETE',  distinct,  separate. —  DISCERN'MENT, 
judgment. —  SECRETE',  to  put  aside. —  SE'CRET,  concealed; 
private. —  SEC'RETARY,  one  who  writes  for  another.12 

Ce/tere,  to  contend;  to  vie. 

CONCERT',  to  contrive  together. —  CON'CERT,  union ;  a  musical 
entertainment. —  DISCONCERT',  to  disturb. —  PRECONCERT'ED, 
contrived  together  beforehand. 

Cer'tus,  sure  (see  Cer'nere). 
Cha'os  (G),  a  chasm  or  abyss. 
CHA'OS,  confusion;  disorder. —  CHAOT'IC,  without  order. 

Cha'ris  (G),  favor;  grace. 

CHAR'ITY,  kindness;  good  will. —  EU'CHARIST,  the  Lord's 
supper. 

Cheir  (G),  the  hand. 
CHIROG'RAPHY,  handwriting. —  CHIRUR'GEON,  a  surgeon. 

12  So  called  from  the  private  or  secret  affairs  intrusted  to  him. 


92         GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Cho'le  (G),  bile,  anger. 

CHOI/ERA,  a  disease. —  CHOL'ER,  anger;  wrath. —  CHOI/ERIC, 
irascible. —  COL'IC,  pain  in  the  bowels. —  MEI/ANCHOLY, 
gloom,  dejection. 

Cho/ein  (G),  to  go. 

AN'CHORET,  or  AN'CHORITE,  a  hermit;  one  who  retires  from 
society  to  avoid  the  temptations  of  the  world. 

Chris' t os  (G),  the  Anointed. 

CHRIST,  the  Messiah. —  CHRISTIANITY,  the  religion  of 
Christ. —  CHRIST'MAS,  a  Christian  festival. —  CHRISM,  con- 
secrated oil. 

Chro'ma  (G),  color. 

CHROMAT'ICS,  the  science  of  colors. —  ACHROMAT'IC,  desti- 
tute of  color. 

Chron'os  (G),  time. 

CHRON'IC,  of  long  duration. —  CHRON'ICLE,  a  record  or  his- 
tory.—  CHRONOI/OGY,  the  science  of  time  or  eras. — 
CHRONOM'ETER,  a  time-piece. —  ANACH'RONISM,  an  error 
in  dates. —  ISOCH'RONOUS,  performed  in  equal  times. 

Chru'sos  (G),  gold. 

CHRYS'ALIS,  the  caterpillar  in  its  dormant  state.13  —  CHRYS'- 
OLITE,  a  mineral  of  a  yellowish  color. 

Cita're  (ci'tum),  to  rouse;  to  call  forth. 
CITE,  to  summon  into  a  court ;  to  quote. —  CITA'TION,  a  sum- 
moning; a  quotation. —  EXCITE',  to  stir  up,  to  encourage. 

—  EXCI'TABLE,    easily    stirred    up. —  EXCITE'MENT,    agita- 
tion.—  RESUS'CITATE,  to  rouse  or  enliven  again. —  INCITE', 
to  animate ;  to  urge  on. —  INCITE'MENT,  impulse. —  RECITE', 
to    repeat;    to    tell    over. —  RECITA'TION,    repetition;    re- 
hearsal.—  RECI'TAL,  account;  narration;  rehearsal. 

Cin'gere  (cincftum),  to  gird. 
CINCT'URE,  a  belt ;  a  girdle. —  PRE'CINCT,  a  limit  or  bound. 

—  SUCCINCT',  brought  into  small  compass ;  compact ;  con- 
cise. 

Ci'nis  (Cin'eris'),  ashes. 
CIN'DER,  a  burnt  mass. —  CINERA'TION,  the  reduction  of  any- 

18  The  name  is  derived  from  the  golden  color. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK         93 

thing  to  ashes. —  INCIN'ERATE,  to  burn  to  ashes. —  INCIN'- 
ERABLE,  that  may  be  reduced  to  ashes. 

Cir'cus,  a  circle. 

CIR'CLE,  a  round  space,  also  the  line  enclosing  it. —  CIR'CLET, 
a  little  circle. —  CIR'CULAR,  round  like  a  circle. —  CIR'- 
CULATE,  to  move  in  a  circle. —  CIR'CUIT,  extent  round 
about. —  CIRCU'ITOUS,  going  round  about;  not  direct. — 
CIR'CUS,  an  open  space  for  sports. —  ENCIR'CLE,  to  sur- 
round.—  SEMI'CIRCLE,  half  a  circle. 

Ci'vis,  a  citizen. 

Civ'ic,  relating  to  civil  honors. —  CIV'IL,  relating  to  the 
community;  gentle,  well  bred. —  CIVII/IAN,  one  versed  in 
law  or  political  affairs. —  CIT'IZEN,  an  inhabitant  of  a 
state  or  city. —  CIT'Y,  a  large  corporate  town. —  CIVIL'ITY, 
gentleness,  politeness. —  CIVILIZA'TION,  the  state  of  a  civil- 
ized people. —  CIV'ILIZE,  to  reclaim  from  a  savage  state. — 
UNCIVIL,  rude,  clownish. 

Clam,  secretly. 
CLANDES'TINE,  secret. —  CLANDES'TINELY,  in  a  secret  manner. 

Cla'mare  (clama'tum) ,  to  cry  out;  to  shout. 
CLAM'OR,  outcry ;  noise. —  CLAM'OROUS,  noisy ;  vociferous. — 
CLAM'ORER,  a  noisy  person. —  ACCLAMA'TION,  a  shout  of 
applause. —  DECLAMA'TION,  discourse  addressed  to  the  pas- 
sions; exercise  of  public  speaking. —  CLAIM,  to  demand. — 
CLAIM'ANT,  one  that  demands  a  right. —  DISCLAIM',  to 
deny  the  possession  of  any  right  or  character. —  EXCLAIM', 
to  cry  out. —  PROCLAIM',  to  announce  publicly. —  PROCLA- 
MA'TION,  publication  by  authority. —  RECLAIM',  to  recall; 
to  reform. 

Cla'rus,  clear,  bright. 

CLAR'ION,  a  shrill  trumpet. —  CLEAR,  bright;  evident. — DE- 
CLARE', to  make  known ;  to  proclaim. —  CLAR'IFY,  to  purify. 
—  DECLARA'TION,  a  proclamation ;  an  open  avowal. 

Clas'sis,  a  class. 

CLASS,  a  rank  of  persons,  a  set. —  CLAS'SIC,  CLAS'SICAL,  re- 
lating to  authors  of  the  highest  rank,  particularly  ancient 
Greek  and  Roman  authors. —  CLAS'SIFY,  to  arrange  in 
classes. —  CLASSIFICATION,  arrangement  in  classes, — 
CLAS'SIS,  a  convention. 


94  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

Clau'dere  (clau'sum),  or  Clu'do  (clu'sum),  to  shut,  to  close. 

CLOSE,  to  shut. —  CLOS'ET,  a  small  private  room. —  CONCLUDE', 
to  come  to  a  decision. —  CONCLUSIVE,  decisive. —  CLAUSE, 
a  subdivision  of  a  sentence. —  CLOIS'TER,  a  monastery  or 
a  nunnery. —  EXCLUDE',  to  shut  out. —  SECLUDE',  to  shut  up 
apart. —  INCLUDE',  ENCLOSE',  to  shut  in ;  to  bring  within 
certain  limits. —  PRECLUDE',  to  hinder  or  prevent. —  RE- 
CLUSE', one  who  lives  in  retirement  or  seclusion. —  SECLU'- 
SION,  retirement. 

Cle'mens  (clemen'tis),  merciful,  kind. 

CLEM'ENT,  merciful,  kind. —  CLEM'ENCY,  mercy. —  INCLEM'- 
ENT,  unmerciful ;  harsh. —  INCLEM'ENCY,  severity. 

Cli'nare,  to  incline  or  bend. 

INCLINE',  to  bend,  to  lean. —  INCLINATION,  propensity. — 
DECLINE',  to  lean  downwards;  to  refuse. —  DECLIVITY  (L, 
cli'vus),  descent;  inclination  downwards. —  ACCLIVITY, 
ascent,  inclination  upwards. —  PROCLIVITY,  proneness. — 
RECLINE',  to  lean  back. —  CLIN'ICAL,  relating  to  a  couch  or 
a  bed.1* 

Cli'vus,  an  ascent;  a  hill.     See  derivatives  under  CIV  no. 

Co'dex  (cod'icis),  the  trunk  of  a  tree;  a  volume  or  a  roll. 
CODE,  a  collection  or  digest  of  laws. —  COD'ICIL,  a  supplement 
to  a  will. 

Co'lere  (cul'tum),  to  cultivate. 

COL'ONY,  a  settlement  or  plantation  abroad. —  COL'ONIST,  a 
settler  in  a  colony. —  COUL'TER,  the  sharp  iron  of  a  plough. 
—  CUL'TIVATE,  to  improve  by  labor. —  CUL'TURE,  improve- 
ment by  labor. —  AG'RICULTURE,  husbandry,  farming. — 
HORTICULTURE,  gardening. 

Co'mes  (com'itis),  a  companion. 
COM'ITY,  kindness  of  manner. —  CONCOM'ITANT,  going  with. 

Concil'ium,  an  assembly;  a  council. 

COUN'CIL,  an  assembly  held  for  consultation. —  CONCILIATE 
(L,  concil'io),  to  bring  together;  to  win  to  friendship. — 
CONCILIATORY,  fitted  to  allay  angry  feelings. —  RECONCILE', 
to  conciliate  again;  to  render  consistent. 

14  Clinical  lectures  are  medical  lectures  given  at  the  bedside  of 
the  patient, 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN    AND   GREEK         95 

Co'quere  (coc'tum),  to  cook. 

CONCOCT',  to  prepare  by  digesting;  to  devise;  to  plot;  (as, 
to  concoct  a  scheme). —  DECOC'TION,  the  act  of  boiling 
anything  to  extract  its  virtues. —  COOK,  to  prepare  food  by 
heat. 

Cor  (co/dis),  the  heart. 

CORE,  the  central  part,  as  of  fruit. —  COR'DIAL,  a.  sincere, 
hearty. —  CORDIAL'ITY,  sincerity. —  CON'CORD.  agreement. — 
COUR'AGE,  boldness. —  DIS'CORD,  disagreement. —  RECORD' 
(L,  Reco/dor,  to  remember,  call  to  mind),  to  register. 

Co/nu,  a  horn. 

COR'NET,  a  musical  instrument  blown  with  the  mouth ;  a  sort 
of  trumpet. —  CORNUCO'PIA  (L,  co'pia,  plenty),  the  horn 
of  plenty. —  BICOR'NOUS,  having  two  horns  or  antlers. — 
U'NICORN,  an  animal  having  a  single  horn. 

Coro'na,  a  garland,  or  crown. 

CROWN,  the  head  ornament  worn  by  kings. —  CORONA'TION, 
the  solemnity  of  crowning  a  king. —  COR'ONAL,  a  crown  or. 
garland. —  COR'ONET,  an  inferior  crown  worn  by  the  no- 
bility.—  COR'ONER,  an  officer  to  inquire  into  violent 
deaths.15  —  COR'OLLARY,  an  inference.10 

Co/ pus  (co/poris),  a  body. 

COR'PORAL,  the  lowest  officer  over  a  body  of  soldiers. —  COR'- 
PORATE,  united  into  a  body  or  community. —  CORPORA'TION, 
a  body  politic. —  INCORPORATE,  to  embody. —  COR'PUSCLE,  a 
minute  body. —  CORPO'REAL,  having  a  body ;  not  imma- 
terial ;  relating  to  the  body. —  COR'PULENTJ  having  a  bulky 
body. —  CORPSE,  a  dead  body. —  CORPS  (Fr),  (pronounced 
core),  a  body  of  soldiers. 

CoJta,  a  rib. 

COAST,  the  margin  of  the  land. —  COS'TAL,  pertaining  to  the 
ribs. —  INTERCOS'TAL,  lying  between  the  ribs. 

Cras,  to-morrow. 
PROCRAS'TINATE,  to  put  off. —  PROCRASTINA'TION,  deferring. 

Cre'dere  (cred'itum),  to  believe. 
CREED,  articles  of  belief. —  CRE'DENCE,  belief. — CRED'IT,  be- 

15  The  name  was  derived  from  the  relation  of  the  office  to  the 
crown. 

16  So  called  because  it  crowns  the  leading  proposition  or  argu- 
ment. 


96  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

lief ;  reputation ;  trust. —  CREDEN'TIAL,  that  which  gives 
title  to  belief. —  CRED'IBLE,  worthy  of  belief. —  CRED'ITOR, 
one  who  trusts  another  for  a  debt. —  CRED'ULOUS,  apt  to 
believe. —  DISCRED'IT,  to  disbelieve. —  INCREDU'LITY,  slow- 
ness of  belief. 

Crea're  (crea'turn),  to  create. 

CREATE',  to  cause  to  exist. —  CREA'TION,  the  act  of  creating ; 
the  universe. — CREAT'URE,  a  created  being. —  CREA'TIVE, 
that  can  or  does  create. —  CREA'TOR  (L),  God,  who  gives 
existence. —  RECREA'TION,  amusement,  diversion  (because 
it  re-creates  vigor). 

Crep'are  (crep'itum),  to  sound;  to  rattle. 
DECREP'IT,  wasted  and  worn  out  with  age. —  DECREP'ITUDE,IT 
the  feebleness  of  age. —  DISCREPANCY,  literally,  disagree- 
ment of  sound ;  inconsistency. 

C res? cere  (ere' turn),  to  grow. 

CRES'CENT,  the  shape  of  the  new  moon.18  —  CON'CRETE,  to 
coalesce  into  one  mass ;  to  coagulate. —  EXCRES'CENCE, 
something  growing  out  of  another. —  DECREASE',  to  grow 
less. —  INCREASE',  to  grow  larger. 

Cri'men  (crim'inis),  an  accusation;  a  crime. 
CRIME,  an  offence;  a  great  fault. —  CRIM'INAL,  partaking  of 
crime. —  CRIMINA'TION,     an     accusing. —  RECRIMINA'TION, 
return  of  one  accusation  with  another. —  RECRIM'INATE,  to 
retort  a  charge. 

Cru'dus,  raw,  unripe. 

CRUDE,  raw;  unripe;  undigested. —  CRU'DITY,  unripeness;  in- 
digestion; crudeness. —  CRU'EL  (L,  crude'lis\  hard- 
hearted.—  CRU'ELTY,  inhumanity. 

Crux  (cru'cis},  a  cross. 

CROSS,  n.  one  straight  body  laid  across  another. —  CROSS,  a. 
peevish. —  CRUCIFIX'ION,  death  on  a  cross. —  CRU'CIFIX,  a 
cross  bearing  an  image  of  Jesus. —  CRU'CIAL,  crosswise ; 
transverse. —  CRU'CIFY,  to  put  to  death  by  nailing  to  a 
cross. —  EXCRU'CIATE,  to  extort  by  suffering;  to  put  to  se- 
vere pain. —  EXCRU'CIATING,  extremely  painful;  torturing. 

17  The  derivation  of  this  word  is  doubtful.    If  derived  from 
crepare,  its  signification  has  reference  to  the  rattling  or  creaking 
of  anything  which  is  broken,  or  loosened  from  its  place. 

18  So  called  from  its  change  of  size. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK         97 

Cum' 'b ere,  to  lie  down. 

ENCUM'BER,  to  oppress  with  a  burden;  to  hinder. —  ENCUM'- 
BRANCE,  a  burden. —  INCUBA'TION,  the  act  of  sitting  upon 
eggs. —  IN'CUBUS  (L),  nightmare;  a  sense  of  weight. — 
INCUM'BENT,  resting  upon. —  RECUM'BENT,  lying;  leaning. 
PROCUM'BENT,  lying  down. —  SUCCUMB',  to  yield ;  to  sink 
under  a  difficulty. —  SUPERINCUM'BENT,  lying  on  the  top  of 
something. 

Cul'pa,  a  fault. 

CUI/PABLE,  faulty;  blamable. —  CUL'PRIT,  an  accused  person. 

—  EXCUL'PATE,    to    clear    from    blame. —  INCUL'PATE,    to 
blame. 

Cu'mulus,  a  heap. 
CUMULATIVE,  piled  up. —  ACCU'MULATE,  to  heap  up. 

Cu'ra,  care. 

CURE,  a  healing. —  CU'RABLE,  admitting  of  a  remedy. —  Cu'- 
RATE,  a  clergyman  hired  to  do  the  duties  of  another. — 
CU'RIOUS,  inquisitive. —  CU'RATOR,  a  superintendent. —  Ac'- 
CURATE,  exact ;  done  with  care. —  PROCURE',  to  obtain. — 
PROCURE'MENT,  the  act  of  procuring;  attainment. —  SECU'- 
RITY,  safety. —  SI'NECURE  (L,  si'ne,  without),  a  station 
which  gives  income  without  employment. 

Cu/rere  (cu/sum),  to  run. 

CUR'RENT,  a.  passing. —  CUR'RENT,  n.  a  running  stream. — 
CUR'RENCY,  circulation ;  money. —  CUR'RICLE,  an  open 
chaise,  with  two  horses  abreast. —  CUR'SORY,  hasty. —  DIS- 
COURSE', conversation ;  a  sermon. —  EXCUR'SION,  an  expedi- 
tion; a  digression. —  INCUR'SION,  inroad;  invasion. —  IN- 
CUR', to  become  liable  to. —  OCCUR',  to  happen. —  OCCUR'- 
RENCE,  an  event. —  RECUR',  to  happen  again ;  to  go  back. 

—  PRECUR'SOR,  forerunner. —  RECOURSE',  application  to  for 
help. —  SUC'COR,  help  in  distress. 

Cu/vus,  crooked;  winding. 

CURVE,  a  bent  line. —  CURV'ATURE,  crookedness. —  CUR'VATED, 
bent;  crooked. —  INCUR' v ATE,  to  bend. 

Cusftos  (custo'dis),  a  keeper. 

CUS'TODY,  watch,  imprisonment. —  CUSTO'DIAL,  relating  to 
custody. 

Cu'tis,  the  skin. 

CUTA'NEOUS,  affecting  the  skin. —  CU'TICLE,  the  thin  outer 
skin. 


98  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

Dam'num,  harm,  loss. 

DAM'AGE,  injury. —  DAMNA'TION,  the  word  used  in  the  New 
Testament  to  signify  condemnation  to  everlasting  punish- 
ment.—  CONDEMN',  to  give  sentence  against;  to  denounce. 
—  INDEM'NIFY,  to  relieve  from  loss. 

De'bere  (deb'itum),  to  owe. 

DEBT,  that  which  is  due. —  DEBT'LESS,  free  from  debt. — 
DEB'IT,  v.  to  charge  with  debt. —  DEBT'OR,  one  who  is  in- 
debted. 

De'cem,  ten. 

DEC'IMAL,  numbered  by  tens. —  DEC'IMATE,  to  tithe ;  to  take 
the  tenth;  to  destroy  a  large  but  indefinite  part  of  any 
aggregate  body. —  DECIMA'TION,  selection  of  every  tenth; 
a  heavy  loss  of  life. —  DEC'ADE,  the  sum  or  number  of  ten; 
(as,  ten  days,  ten  years,  or  ten  parts). —  DECEN'NIAL,  hap- 
pening every  ten  years. —  DECEM'VIRATE,  a  body  of  ten 
magistrates. —  DUODECIMAL  (L,  duod'ecim,  twelve),  reck- 
oned by  twelves. —  DUODEC'IMO  (L),  a  sheet  folded  into 
twelve  leaves. 

De'cere,  to  be  becoming  or  proper. 

DE'CENT,  becoming. —  DE'CENCY,  propriety  of  manner. — 
DECO'RUM  (L),  propriety  of  behavior. —  DEC'ORATE,  to 
adorn. —  DEC'ORUS,  observing  propriety. —  INDECO'RUM 
(L),  impropriety. 

Dek'a  (G),  ten. 

DEC'ALOGUE,  the  ten  commandments. —  DEC'AGON,  a  figure 
having  ten  angles. 

Dens  (den'tis),  a  tooth. 

DEN'TAL,  belonging  to  the  teeth;  sounded  by  the  aid  of  the 
teeth. —  DEN'TIST,  a  dental  surgeon. —  DEN'TIFRICE  (L, 
fri'co,  to  rub  or  chafe),  tooth-powder. —  DENTI'TION,  cut- 
ting the  teeth ;  teething. —  INDENT',  to  make  inequalities 
like  teeth. —  TRI'DENT,  Neptune's  sceptre  with  three 
prongs. —  INDENTATION,  a  notch. —  INDEN'TURE,  a  species 
of  contract.19 

Demos  (G),  the  people. 

DEM'AGOGUE,  a  popular  leader. —  DEMOC'RACY,  a  popular  gov- 
ernment.—  DEM'OCRAT,  one  who  favors  democracy. —  EPI- 
DEM'IC  (G,  upon),  a  prevailing  disease. 

19  So  called  from  a  custom  of  cutting  notches  in  the  edge  of  the 
paper  or  parchment  on  which  it  is  written. 


WORDS    DERIVED    FROM    LATIN    AND   GREEK         99 

Derisus,  thick,  close. 

DENSE,  close,  compact. —  DENS'ITY,  closeness,  compactness. — 
CONDENSE',  to  compress. —  CONDENSA'TION,  a  thickening  or 
compression. 

Despo'tes  (G),  a  master  or  lord. 

DES'POT,  a  monarch ;  a  tyrant ;  an  absolute  ruler. —  DES'- 
POTISM,  unlimited  monarchy. 

Dete'rior,  worse. 

DETERIORATE,  to  become  worse. —  DETERIORATION,  becoming 
worse. 

De'us,  God.    Di'vus,  a  god. 

DE'ITY,  the  nature  and  essence  of  God. —  DE'IST,  one  who 
believes  in  God,  but  denies  revelation. —  DIVINA'TION, 
foretelling. —  DIVINE',  a.  of  the  nature  of  God. — DIVINE', 
n.  a  theologian. —  DIVINE'  v.  to  presage. —  DIVIN'ITY,  the 
nature  of  God;  theology. 

Dex'ter,  pertaining  to  the  right  hand. 

DEX'TROUS,  expert ;  ready. —  DEXTER'ITY,  expertness ;  activ- 
ity; readiness. —  DEXTER,  right  as  opposed  to  left;  (as,  the 
dexter  cheek) . —  DEX'TROUSLY,  with  dexterity ;  expertly. 

Dica're  (dica'tum),  to  devote;  to  show. 
DED'ICATE,  to  devote;  to  inscribe  to. —  IN'DICATE,  to  point 
out ;  to  show. —  AB'DICATE,  to  give  up  right ;  to  resign. — 
INDICATION,  mark;  token. 

Di'cere  (dic'tum),  to  say. 

DICTION,  language;  style. —  DICTIONARY,  a  book  containing 
the  words  of  a  language. —  DIC/TATE,  to  give  directions 
authoritatively. —  DICTA'TOR  (L),  a  Roman  magistrate. — 
DICTATORIAL,  authoritative. —  BENEDIC'TION,  a  blessing. 

—  CONTRADICTION,    opposition ;     inconsistency. —  CONTRA- 
DICTORY,   implying    contradiction    or    denial. —  E'DICT,    a 
proclamation. —  INDICT7,  to  charge  by   formal  accusation. 

—  INDITE',  to  draw  up;  to  compose. —  INTERDICT',  to  pro- 
hibit.—  MALEDIC'TION,  a  curse. —  PREDICT',  to  foretell;  to 
prophesy. —  VER'DICT,  the  decision  of  a  jury. 

DidaSkein  (G),  to  teach. 

DIDAC'TIC,  adapted  to  teach;  preceptive. —  DIDACTICALLY,  in 
a  didactic  manner. 


IOO  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

Di'es,  a  day. 

DI'ARY,  a  daily  account — DIUR'NAL,  daily. —  QUOTID'IAN 
(L,  quot,  as  many  as),  happening  daily. —  DI'AL,  a  plate 
with  the  hours  of  the  day  marked  on  it. —  MERID'IAN, 
noon;  midday. —  POST-MERID'IAN,  relating  to  or  being  in 
the  afternoon;  P.M. —  NOCTID'IAL,  comprising  a  night  and 
a  day. 

Dig'itus,  a  finger;  a  finger's  breadth. 

DIG'IT,  a  numerical  figure ;  three- fourths  of  an  inch ;  a  finger. 
—  DIG'ITATED,  branched  like  fingers. 

Dig'nus,  worthy. 

DIG'NITY,  honor. —  DIG'NIFY,  to  advance  to  honor. —  DEIGN, 
to  think  worthy;  to  condescend. —  INDIG'NITY,  unworthy 
treatment. —  INDIG'NANT,  angry  and  disgusted. —  INDIGNA'- 
TION,  anger  mixed  with  contempt. —  CONDIGN',  suitable ; 
merited. —  DISDAIN',  to  think  unworthy. 

Dimid'ium,  half. 

DEM'I-GOD,  one  esteemed  as  half  a  god. —  DEM'I-DEIFY,  to 
half  deify. 

Dis'cere,  to  learn.    Discip'ulus,  a  learner. 
DISCI'PLE,  a  learner;  a  follower. —  DISCIPLINE,  instruction; 
education. 

Divid'ere  (divi'sum),  to  divide. 

DIVIDE',  to  separate  into  parts. —  DIVIS'ION,  the  act  of  sepa- 
rating.—  DIVIDEND,  the  number  to  be  divided. —  DIVI'SOR, 
the  number  given  to  divide  by. —  DIVIS'IBLE,  separable  into 
parts. —  INDIVID'UAL,  a  single  being  or  thing. 

Dare  (da'tum),  to  give. 

DO'NOR,  a  giver. —  DONA'TION,  a  gift. —  DONATE',  to  give; 
to  contribute. —  PAR'DON,  to  forgive. 

Do' cere  (dotftuni),  to  teach. 

DOC'TOR,  a  man  who  has  taken  the  highest  degree  in  divinity, 
law,  or  medicine:  D.D.,  LL.D.,  or  M.D. —  DOC'TRINE, 
whatever  is  taught. —  DOCUMENT,  a  paper  containing  evi- 
dence.—  DO'CILE,  teachable. —  DOCIL'ITY,  readiness  to  be 
taught. 

Do'lere,  to  grieve;  to  be  in  pain. 
DOLE'FUL,    sorrowful. —  DOL'OROUS,    melancholy. —  CONDOLE', 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        IOI 

to  sympathize  with  the  grief  of  another. —  IN'DOLENCE, 
laziness.20 

Dom'inus,  a  master  or  lord. 

DOMINION,  supreme  authority. —  DOMINA'TION,  power ;  tyr- 
anny.—  DOMAIN'  (L,  domin'ium),  property;  empire;  do- 
minion.—  DOM'INANT,  prevailing. —  DOMINEER',  to  rule 
with  insolence. —  PREDOMINATE,  to  prevail  over  the  rest. 

Do'-mus,  a  house ;  a  home. 

DOME,  a  house;  a  spherical  roof. —  DOMES'TIC,  belonging  to 
the  house  or  family. —  DOM'ICIL  (L,  domicil'ium,  an 
abode),  a  mansion  or  an  abode. —  DOMICIL'IATE,  to  fix  a 
residence. 

Dormi're  (dormi'tum),  to  sleep. 

DOR'MANT,  sleeping;  insensible. —  DOR'MITORY,  a  sleeping- 
room. 

Do/ sum,  the  back. 

DOR'SAL,  pertaining  to  the  back. —  ENDORSE',  to  write  on  the 
back  of  a  paper. 

Dox'a  (G),  an  opinion. 

HET'ERODOX,  holding  erroneous  opinions. —  OR'THODOX,  cor- 
rect in  opinion. —  PAR'ADOX,  a  proposition  seemingly  ab- 
surd.—  Doxoi/oGY,21  an  ascription  of  praise. 

Dra'ma  (G22),  an  action;  a  drama. 

DRAMA'TIC,  pertaining  to  the  drama. —  DRAM'ATIST,  a  writer 
of  plays. 

Drom'os  (G),  a  race. 

DROM'EDARY,  a  species  of  camel. —  OR'THODROMY,  sailing  in 
a  straight  course. 

Du'bius,  doubtful. 

DU'BIOUS,  uncertain. —  INDU'BITABLE,  not  to  be  doubted. — 
DOUBT,  uncertainty  of  mind. 

Du'cere  (due' turn),  to  lead. 

DUCT,  a  little  channel  or  canal. —  DUC'TILE,  capable  of  being 
drawn  out  into  a  thread  or  wire. —  ABDUC'TION,  a  leading 
away. —  ADDUCE',  to  bring  forward. —  AQ'UEDUCT,  a  chan- 
nel or  tube  for  conveying  water. —  CONDUCT',  v.  to  lead  or 

20  Literally,  freedom  from  pain  or  trouble. 

21  The  word  doxa  signifies  also,  glory;  renown, 

22  From  horao,  to  do  or  perform. 


IO2  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

guide.  —  CON'DUCT,  n.  behavior  ;  management.  —  CONDUCE', 
to  lead  or  tend.  —  CON'DUIT  (Fr),  a  water  pipe  or  canal. 
DEDUCE',  to  draw  an  inference.  —  DEDUCT',  to  subtract.  — 
DEDUCTION,  an  inference.  —  DUKE,  a  leader  ;  a  noble.  — 
ED'UCATE,  to  lead  by  instruction  and  discipline.  —  INDUCE', 
to  lead  by  motives.  —  INTRODUCE',  to  bring  or  usher  in.  — 
INTRODUCTION,  the  act  of  introducing  or  ushering;  exor- 
dium; preface.  —  PRODUCE',  to  bring  forward;  to  bear.  — 
PRODUCTIVE,  capable  of  producing.  —  REDUCE',  to  bring 
down;  to  subject.  —  SEDUCE',  to  draw  into  error  or  crime 

—  SEDUC'TIVE,  fitted  to  entice.  —  TRADUCE',  to  calumniate. 

Du'namis  (G),  power. 

DYNAM'ICS,  the  science  of  forces.  —  DY'NASTY,  a  race  of 
kings. 

Du'o,  two. 

DU'AL,  relating  to  two  or  a  pair.  —  DU'EL,  a  combat  between 
two.  —  DUET,  a  piece  of  music  in  two  parts.  —  DOUB'LE, 
consisting  of  two.  —  DU'PLICATE,  two-fold.  —  DUPLIC'ITY, 
double  dealing;  deception. 

Du'rus,  hard. 

DU'RABLE,  lasting.  —  DU'RANCE,  imprisonment.  —  DURA'TION, 
continuance.  —  ENDURE,  to  bear  ;  to  last.  —  OB'DURACY, 
hardness  of  heart  ;  stubborn  impenitence.  —  OB'DURATE, 
stubborn;  hard-hearted. 

Dus  (G),  an  inseparable  particle,  denoting  difficulty, 

pain,  etc. 
DYS'ENTERY  (G,  entera,  the  bowels),  a  disease  of  the  bowels. 

—  DYS'PHONY,    difficulty    of    speaking.  —  DYSPEP'SIA    (G, 
pephis,  digestion),  difficulty  of  digestion. 

Eb'rius,  drunken. 
EBRI'ETY,    drunkenness.  —  INE'BRIATE,    a   habitual    drunkard. 

—  SOBRI'ETY   (L,  si'ne),  freedom  from  intoxication;  dig- 
nity of  deportment. 


JE'des  (ff'rfu),  a  house  or  building. 

ED'IFICE,  a  building.  —  ED'IFY,  to  build  up  in  knowledge  or 
faith. 

E'dere,  to  eat. 
EDACITY,  greediness.  —  ED'IBLE,  eatable. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        IO3 

E'go,  I. 

E'GOTISM,  talking  much  of  oneself. —  EGOTIST'ICAL,  self-con- 
ceited; opinionated. 

E'mein  (G),  to  vomit. 

EMET'IC,  a  medicine  that  causes  vomiting. —  EM'ETIN,  a  sub- 
stance obtained  from  the  ipecacuana. 

Em' ere  (emp'tum),  to  buy. 

EXEMPT'  (literally,  bought  off),  not  liable. —  EXEMPTION, 
freedom  from  a  task  or  burden. —  PEREMPTORY,23  positive; 
absolute. —  PROMPT,24  ready;  quick. —  REDEEM',  to  buy 
back;  to  ransom. —  REDEMP'TION,  the  act  of  redeeming. 

^Em'ulus,  a  rival. 

EM'ULATE,  to  strive  to  equal,  excel. —  EM'ULOUS,  rivaling; 
competing. 

En'tera  (G),  the  bowels. 

DYS'ENTERY,  a  disease  of  the  bowels. —  ENTERI'TIS,  inflam- 
mation of  the  intestines. —  MES'ENTERY  (G,  mesas,  mid- 
dle), a  membrane  supporting  the  intestines. 

En'tomos  (G),  cut  into. 

ENTOMOL'OGY,  the  science  which  treats  of  insects.25  —  EN- 
TOMOL'OGIST,  one  versed  in  the  science  of  insects. 

E'quus,  a  horse. 

EQUES'TRIAN,  pertaining  to  horsemanship. —  EQ'UIPAGE,  the 
arms,  etc.,  of  a  mounted  soldier;  any  accoutrements. 

Ep'os  (G),  a  speech;  a  poem. 

EP'IC,  containing  narration  of  an  elevated  character. —  OR'- 
THOEPY,  correct  pronunciation. 

JE'quus,  equal,  just. 
E'QUAL,   of  the   same   size   or   importance. —  E'QUALIZE,   to 

23  The  Latin  word  peri' mo,  signifies  to  take  away  wholly;  to 
destroy;  and  peremp'tor,  signifies  a  destroyer. 

24  From  pro' mo,    (promp'tum),  which  is  compounded  of  pro 
and  emo,  and  signifies  to  bring  or  put  forward. 

25  The  words  insec'tum  in  Latin  and  entomos  in  Greek  corres- 
pond to  each  other  precisely.     The  former  is  compounded  of  in, 
into,  and  se'co,  to  cut ;  and  the  latter  of  en  and  tomos,  which  have 
the  same  significations  as  the  Latin  words  above  mentioned.     The 
names   were   undoubtedly    suggested   by  the    form   which   many 
insects  have,  i.  e.,  the  appearance  of  being  almost  cut  in  two. 


IO4  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

make  even  or  equal. —  E'QUABLE,  not  varying. —  AD'- 
EQUATE,  equal  to;  sufficient. —  EQUA'TION,  a  making  equal. 
—  EQUA'TOR,  a  line  which  divides  the  earth  into  two  equal 
parts. —  EQUILIB'RIUM,  equal  weight. —  E'QUINOX,  the  time 
when  the  day  and  night  are  of  equal  length. —  EQ/ITY, 
justice. —  EQUIVALENT,  of  equal  value  or  force. —  EQUIV'- 
OCATE,  to  use  words  in  a  doubtful  and  deceptive  manner. — 
INIQ'ITY,  injustice. 

Er'emos  (G),  lonely. 

ER'EMITE,  one  who  lives  in  a  wilderness. —  HER'MIT  (same 
signification). 

E/gon  (G),  a  work. 

EN'ERGY  (G),  vigor  of  operation. —  LIT'URGY  (G,  lite, 
prayer),  a  formulary  of  public  prayer. —  METALLURGY 
(G,  metallon,  a  metal),  the  art  of  working  metals  and  ob- 
taining them  from  the  ore. 

Erra're  (erra'tum),  to  wander. 

ERR,  to  mistake. —  ERRA'TUM  (L),  (pi.  erra'ta),  an  error  in 
writing  or  printing. —  ERRAT'IC,  deviating  from  the  usual 
way ;  wandering. —  ERR'ING,  irregular ;  vicious. —  ERRO'- 
NEOUS,  wrong ;  incorrect. —  ABERRA'TION,  wandering  from 
the  right  path. —  UNER'RINGLY,  without  mistake. 

E'so  (G),  within. 
ESOT'ERY  (little  used),  mystery. —  ESOTER'IC,  private;  secret. 

JEstim'are,  to  value. 

ES'TIMATE,  to  judge  concerning  the  value. —  ES'TIMABLE, 
worthy  of  esteem. —  ESTEEM',  high  regard. —  INES'- 
TIMABLE,  of  value  too  great  to  be  computed. 

Ai'ther  (G),  the  air. 
E'THER,  a  light  fluid. —  ETHE'REAL,  immaterial;  subtile. 

Eth'os  (G),  a  custom. 

ETH'ICS,  the  science  of  morals;  moral  philosophy. —  ETH'- 
ICAL,  relating  to  morals  or  duty. 

Eth'nos  (G),  a  nation. 

ETH'NICAL,  relating  to  the  races  of  mankind. —  ETHNOL'OGY, 
a  classification  and  description  of  races. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK 

Eu  (G),  well;  rightly. 

EU'LOGY,  praise;  panegyric. —  EU'PHONY,  pleasantness  of 
sound. —  EvAN'GELiST,26  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel. —  EVAN'- 
GELIZE,  to  instruct  in  the  Gospel. 

Etfumon  (G),27  the  true  derivation. 

ET'YMON,  a  root  or  primitive  word. —  ETYMOL'OGY,  the  study 
of  derivation  and  inflection. 

JE'vum,  an  age. 

COE'VAL,  existing  at  the  same  period. —  LONGEVITY,  length  of 
life. —  PRIME'VAL,  of  the  first  age;  existing  in  the  earliest 
times. 

Exem'plum,  an  example. 

EXAM'PLE,  model,  pattern;  instance. —  EXEM'PLAR,  a  pattern 
to  be  imitated. —  EX'EMPLARY,  worthy  of  imitation. — 
EXEM'PLIFY,  to  illustrate  by  example. —  SAM'PLE,  a  speci- 
men.—  SAM'PLER,  a  pattern  of  needlework. 

Eyfterus,  outer ;  foreign. 

EXTE'RIOR,  the  outside. —  EXTER'NAL,  pertaining  to  the  out- 
side.—  EXTRA'NEOUS,  not  belonging  to  the  subject;  foreign 
to  the  subject. —  EXTREME',  utmost. — ^EXTREM'ITY,  the  ut- 
most point. —  EXTRIN'SIC  (L,  secus,  otherwise),  from  with- 
out. 

Fafber,  an  artificer. 
FAB'RIC,  a  structure. —  FAB'RICATE,  to  form ;  to  devise  falsely. 

Fa' ties,  a  face. 
FACE,  the  countenance;  appearance. —  DEFACE',  to  disfigure. 

—  EFFACE',  to  wipe  out. —  SUR'FACE,  SUPERFIC'ES,  outside. 

—  SUPERFICIAL,  lying  on  the  outside. 

Ftfcere  (fac'tum),  to  do  or  make :  and  Fi'o  (fac'tus),  to 

become. 
FACT,  a  thing  done;  a  reality. —  FAC'TOR,  an  agent  or  doer. 

—  FAC'TION,    a    party    counteracting    the    government. — 
FAC'TORY,  a  building  in  which  anything  is  manufactured ; 
the    residence   of   traders    abroad. —  FACILE    (L,    fa'cilis, 
easy),   easy  to  be  done. —  FACILITATE,   to  make  easy. — 
AFFECT',  to  move  the  passions. —  AFFEC'TION,  love,  kind- 
ness; any  passion. —  AFFECTA'TION,  assumed  feeling. — DE- 

26  The  Greek  u  had,  in  certain  words,  the  sound  of  the  English  v. 
The  word   evangelist  signifies,  primarily,  good  tidings. 

27  The  adjective  etumos  signifies  true,  genuine. 


IO6  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

FEAT7,  to  undo;  to  overthrow. —  DEFECT',  want;  a  blemish. 

—  DEFEC'TION,  departure ;  revolt. —  DEFICIENT,  DEFECTIVE, 
failing. —  DIF'FICULT,  hard  to  be  done. —  Fi'AT28   (L),  a 
command. —  EFFECT',  to  bring  to  pass;  the  thing  produced. 

—  EFFECT'IVE,  EFFICIENT,  operative;  active;  producing. — 
EFFECTUAL,  EFFICA'CIOUS,  not  failing  to  accomplish  the 
object  in  view. —  MANUFACTURE,  to  make  things  by  hand 
or  machinery. —  OF'FICE,   employment ;   station ;    place   of 
business. —  OFFICIATE,  to  discharge  an  office. —  PER'FECT 
(L,  perfic'io,  to  accomplish),  complete;  pure. —  PoN'TiFF,29 
(L,  pans,  a  bridge),  a  high  priest;  the  pope. —  PROFIC- 
IENCY, advancement  or  improvement  in  any  study  or  busi- 
ness.—  SACRIFICE,  to  offer;  to  surrender;  to  devote. 

Fal'lere  (fal'sum),  to  deceive. 

FALSE,  not  true;  not  real;  counterfeit. —  FALS'ITY,  the  state 
of  being  false. —  FALLA'CIOUS,  fitted  to  deceive. —  FAL'- 
LACY,  deceitful  argument  or  appearance. —  FAL'LIBLE, 
liable  to  error. —  FALSE'HOOD,  an  untruth ;  a  lie. — FAL'SIFY, 
to  make  a  false  representation. 

Fa'ma,  a  report. 

FAME,  celebrity ;  renown. —  FA'MOUS,  renowned. —  DEFAME', 
to  injure  one's  reputation  maliciously. —  DEFAMA'TION, 
calumny. —  DEFAM'ATORY,  slanderous. —  IN'FAMOUS,  openly 
censured. —  IN'FAMY,  public  reproach. 

Fa'mes,  hunger. 

FAM'INE,  scarcity  of  food. —  FAM'ISH,  to  suffer  extreme  hun- 
ger. 

Faanil'ia,  a  family. 

FAM'ILY,  persons  living  in  a  house;  a  race;  a  class;  a  group 
of  relatives. —  FAMIL'IAR,  a.  easy  in  conversation;  affable; 
well  known. — FAMILIAR'ITY,  omission  of  ceremony;  ac- 
quaintance.—  FAMIL'IARIZE,  to  make  easy  by  habit. 

Fa'num,  a  temple. 

FANE,  a  temple. —  FANAT'IC,  enthusiastic. —  FANAT'ICISM,  re- 
ligious phrensy. —  PROFANE',  v.  to  pollute ;  to  violate  or 
abuse  that  which  is  consecrated. —  PROFANE',  a.  irreverent 
to  sacred  things ;  secular. 

28  The  word  signifies,  let  it  be  done. 

29  So  called,  because  the  first  bridge  over  the  Tiber  was  con- 
structed and  consecrated,  it  is  said,  by  the  chief  priest. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        1 07 

Fafri  (fa'tus),  to  speak. 

FATE,  decree  of  destiny  or  a  superior  power. —  FA'TAL, 
deadly;  destructive. —  AFFABIL'ITY,  kindness  of  manner  in 
conversation. —  IN'FANT  (L,  in' fans,  not  able  to  speak),  a 
young  child. —  IN'FANCY,  the  first  stage  of  life. —  PREF'ACE 
(L,  prcefa'tio,  a  speaking  beforehand),  an  introductory 
speech  or  writing. —  PREF'ATORY,  introductory. 

Fari'na,  meal,  flour. 

FARI'NA,  the  flour  of  any  species  of  corn  or  starchy  root. — 
FARINA'CEOUS,  made  of  meal  or  flour. 

Fa'teor  (fas'sus,  or  in  composition  fes'sus),  to  confess. 
CONFESS',  to  own. —  PROFESS',  to  declare;  to  avow. 

Fe'bris,  a  fever. 

Ffi'vER,30  a  disease. —  FE'VERISH,  affected  with  fever. —  FE'- 
BRILE,  pertaining  to  fever. —  FEB'RIFUGE,  any  medicine  that 
mitigates  fever. 

Foe'dus,  a  league  or  covenant. 

FED'ERAL,  pertaining  to  a  covenant  or  league. —  CONFED'- 
ERATE,  one  joined  in  a  league. —  FED'ERATIVE,  securing 
union. —  CONFEDERACY,  a  number  of  persons  or  states 
united  by  a  league. 

Fe'lix  (feli'cis),  happy. 

FELIC'ITY,  happiness. —  FELICITOUS,  happy,  fortunate. — 
FELIC'ITATE,  to  congratulate. —  INFELIC'ITY,  misfortune. 

Fewfina,  a  woman. 

FEM'ININE,    of    the    female    sex. —  EFFEM'INATE,    a,  like 
woman;   delicate. —  EFFEM'INATE,  v.  to  grow  or  become 
womanish  or  weak. 

Fen'dere  (fen'sum)*1  to  strike. 

DEFENCE',  guard,  security ;  resistance. —  FEN'CING,  practice  in 
using  a  sword  for  defence. —  DEFEND',  to  protect. —  DE- 
FEND'ANT,  one  who  makes  his  defence  against  a  prosecutor 
or  plaintiff. —  FEND,  to  ward  off. —  OFFEND',  to  displease; 
to  transgress. —  OFFENCE',  crime;  injury. —  OFFEN'SIVE, 
making  the  first  attack ;  aggressive. —  DEFEN'SIVE,  resisting 
attack  or  aggression. 

30  The  Latin  word  fe'bris  is  supposed  to  be  derived  from  fer'veo, 
to  boil, 
si  Fendo  is  used  in  Latin  only  in  composition. 


IO8        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Fe'ra,  a  wild  beast. 
FERO'CIOUS,  cruel,  savage. —  FIERCE,  vehement;  furious. 

Fe/rere,  to  bear  or  carry. 

FER'RY,  a  boat  which  carries  passengers  across  a  river. — 
FER'TILE,  fruitful ;  producing  abundantly. —  DEFER',  to  put 
off. —  DEF'ERENCE,  yielding  to  another's  opinion. —  DIF'FER, 
to  be  unlike ;  to  contend. —  DIFFERENCE,  distinction ;  dis- 
pute.—  ELATE',  to  uplift;  to  render  proud  by  success. —  IN- 
FER', to  draw  a  conclusion. —  PESTIF'EROUS  (L,  pes'tis,  a 
plague),  producing  the  plague. —  PREFER',  to  like  better. — 
PREF'ERENCE,  estimation  of  one  thing  before  another. — 
REFER',  to  leave  to  the  decision  of  another. —  SUF'FER,  to 
bear,  endure ;  to  allow,  permit. —  SUF'FERANCE,  pain ;  pa- 
tience; permission. —  TRANSFER',  to  convey;  to  remove. 

Fe/runt,  iron. 

FAR'RiER,32  a  horse-doctor. —  FAR'RIERY,  the  science  of  medi- 
cine for  horses ;  the  veterinary  art. —  FERRU'GINOUS,  par- 
taking of  the  quality  of  iron. —  FER'RULE,  an  iron  ring  or 
band. 

Fer'vere,  to  boil;  to  be  hot. 

FER'VOR,  heat;  zeal. —  FER'VENT,  hot;  zealous. —  EFFERVESCE', 
to  bubble  up. —  FERMENT',  to  be  in  intestine  motion. 

Fes'tus,  joyful. 

FES'TAL,  belonging  to  a  feast;  joyful. —  FES'TIVE,  joyful. — 
FES'TIVAL,  an  occasion  of  rejoicing. —  FEAST,  a  sumptuous 
entertainment. —  INFEST',  to  harass;  to  disturb. 

Fide're,  to  trust. 

FIDEL'ITY,  honesty;  faithful  adherence. —  CONFIDE',  to  trust; 
to  rely. —  CON'FIDENCE,  trust;  boldness. —  IN'FIDEL,  an  un- 
believer.—  INFIDEL'ITY,  unfaithfulness ;  disbelief. —  PER'- 
FIDY,  treachery. 

Fi'gere  (fixfum),  to  fix,  to  fasten. 

Fix,  to  make  fast;  to  settle. —  AFFIX',  to  join  to. —  CRUCI- 
FIX'ION,  fastening  to  a  cross. —  CRU'CIFIX,  a  cross  bearing 
an  image. —  FIX'TURE,  furniture  or  apparatus  not  separate 
from  the  building. —  PREFIX',  to  put  before. —  TRANSFIX', 
to  pierce  through. —  SUFFIX',  to  add  to  the  end  of  a  word. 

82  A  name  applied  originally  to  a  shoer  of  horses. 


WORDS    DERIVED    FROM    LATIN    AND    GREEK        IO9 

Fil'ius,  a  son;  Fil'ia,  a  daughter. 

FIL'IAL,  pertaining  to  a  son  or  daughter. —  AFFIL'IATED, 
adopted;  received  as  a  member  of  a  family  or  association. 

Fi'lum,  a  thread. 

FIL'AMENT,  a  thread;  a  fibre. —  FII/LET,  a  little  band  for  the 
hair. —  FILE,  a  line  of  soldiers. 

Fin'gere  (fie' turn),  to  form;  to  fashion. 

FIC'TION,  an  invention;  a  falsehood. —  FICTI'TIOUS,  im- 
aginary; not  real. —  EF'FIGY,  image;  likeness. —  FEIGN, 
to  pretend. —  FIG'URE,  form;  a  statue;  a  character. — 
FIG'URATIVE,  representing  something  else. —  TRANSFIGURA'- 
TION,  change  of  form. 

Fi'niSj  an  end  or  limit. 

FIN'ISH,  to  complete,  to  end. —  FIN'ITE,  limited;  having  an 
end. —  IN'FINITE,  unlimited;  immense. —  INFIN'ITY,  infinite 
extent. —  INFIN'ITIVE,  the  name  of  a  mood,  in  grammar, 
which  is  not  limited  by  person  or  number. —  DEFINE',  to 
limit ;  to  explain. —  DEFINITE,  certain ;  limited. —  DEFINI'- 
TION,  a  short  description. —  CONFINE',  v.  to  limit;  to  re- 
strain.—  INFINITES'IMAL,  indefinitely  small. 

Fi/mus,  strong. 

FIRM,  hard;  steady. —  FIRM'AMENT,  the  sky. —  AFFIRM',  to 
declare  positively. —  AFFIRM'ATIVE,  declaring;  opposed  to 
negative. —  CONFIRM',  to  settle ;  to  establish. —  CONFIRMA' 
TION,  additional  proof;  a  religious  rite. —  INFIRM',  weak; 
decrepit. 

Fisfcus,  a  money-bag;  the  exchequer. 

FIS'CAL,  pertaining  to  the  revenue. —  CONFISCATION,  transfer 
of  forfeited  goods  to  public  use. —  CONFIS'CATE,  to  transfer 
private  property  to  the  public,  by  way  of  penalty. 

Flagrafre,  to  burn ;  to  be  in  flames. 

FLA'GRANT,  glaring;  enormous. —  FLA'GRANCY,  burning  heat; 
enormity. —  CONFLAGRATION,  an  extensive  fire ;  a  great 
burning. 

Flam'ma,  a  flame. 

FLAME,  burning  vapor. —  FLAM'BEAU  (Fr.),  a  kind  of  torch. 
—  INFLAME',  to  kindle;  to  irritate. —  INFLAM'MABLE,  easily 
set  on  fire. —  INFLAMMA'TION,  the  act  of  setting  on  fire; 
diseased  heat  of  the  body. 


IIO        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Flec'tere  (flex'uin),  to  bend. 

FLEX'IBLE,  pliable;  that  may  be  easily  bent;  manageable. — 
FLEX'URE,  the  act  of  bending,  a  bending. —  INFLEXIBLE, 
not  to  be  bent;  obstinate. —  INFLECT',  to  bend;  to  vary. — 
INFLEC'TION,  variation  of  the  form  of  words ;  a  modulation 
of  the  voice. 

Fli'gere  (flic' turn),  to  beat;  to  dash. 

AFFLICT',  to  give  pain;  to  grieve. —  AFFLICTION,  calamity. — 
CON'FLICT,  contest;  struggle. —  INFLICT',  to  impose  a  pun- 
ishment.—  PROF'LIGATE,  shameless;  abandoned. 

Fla're  (fief turn),  to  blow. 

INFLATE',  to  fill  with  air;  to  elate  with  notions  of  self-im- 
portance.—  INFLA'TION,  the  act  of  inflating  or  swelling. 

Flos  (flo'ris),  a  flower. 

FLO'RA  (L),  the  goddess  of  flowers;  a  list  or  account  of 
flowers. —  EFFLORES'CENCE,  an  appearance  resembling 
flowers. —  FLOR'AL,  pertaining  to  flowers. —  FLOR'IST,  a  cul- 
tivator of  flowers. —  FLOW'ER,  n.  a  blossom. —  FLOW'ER,  v. 
to  blossom. —  FLOUR'ISH,  to  be  in  vigor. —  FLOUR,  the 
edible  part  of  wheat  or  other  grain,  bolted  and  sifted; 
meal. 

Flu' ere  (ftuxum),  to  flow. 

FLI/ENT,  flowing;  voluble;  ready  in  the  use  of  words. — 
FLU'ID,  anything  that  flows. —  FLUCTUATE  (L,  ftucftus,  a 
wave),  to  move  backwards  and  forwards. —  EF'FLUX,  a 
flowing  out. —  AF'FLUENCE,  plenty;  riches. —  CIRCUM'- 
FLUENT,  flowing  round. —  CON'FLUENCE,  a  junction  of 
streams. —  EFFLU'VIA  (L,  plural  of  efflu'vium,  a  flowing  or 
running  over),  minute  particles  which  are  always  flying  off 
from  bodies. —  IN'FLUX,  a  flowing  in. —  IN'FLUENCE, 
power ;  tendency  to  produce  change. —  INFLUENTIAL,  ex- 
erting power. —  RE'FLUX,  backward  course ;  ebb. —  SUPER'- 
FLUOUS,  more  than  enough. 

Fo'lium,  a  leaf. 

FO'LIAGE,  a  growth  of  leaves. —  FOLIA'CEOUS,  consisting  of 
leaves. —  FO'LIATE,  to  beat  into  leaves. —  FOLIA'TION,  beat- 
ing a  metal  into  foil  or  thin  leaves. —  FOIL,  leaf  metal. — 
FO'LIO  (L),  a  large  book,  in  which  the  sheets  of  paper 
are  folded  only  once. —  PORTFO'LIO,  a  case  for  loose  leaves. 


WORDS   DERIVED    FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        III 

Fo/mo,  form;  beauty. 

FORM,  n.  shape. —  FORM,  v.  to  make ;  to  contrive. —  FORM'AL, 
ceremonious ;  solemn. —  FORMAL'ITY,  ceremony. —  FORM'- 
ULA  (L),  a  prescribed  form. —  CONFORM',  to  make  like;  to 
comply  with. —  CONFORM'ITY,  agreement. —  DEFORM',  to 
disfigure. —  DEFORM'ITY,  unsightly  shape. —  INFORM',  to  in- 
struct; to  acquaint. —  INFORM'ANT,  INFORM'ER,  one  who 
gives  intelligence. —  MUL'TIFORM,  of  various  shapes. — 
PERFORM',  to  do  or  act;  to  execute. —  PERFORM'ANCE,  ac- 
tion ;  work. —  REFORM',  to  grow  better. —  TRANSFORM',  to 
change. —  UNIFORM'ITY,  agreement  with  one  pattern. 

Fors  (for'tis),  chance. 

FOR'TUNE,  the  good  or  ill  that  befalls  man. —  FOR'TUNATE, 
successful. —  UNFOR'TUNATE,  unlucky. —  MISFOR'TUNE,  ca- 
lamity.—  FORTU'ITOUS,  accidental. 

Fo/tis,  brave;  strong. 

FOR'TITUDE,  courage ;  bravery. —  FOR'TIFY,  to  strengthen. — 
FORT,  a  fortified  place. —  FORCE,  strength. —  COM'FORT,  to 
strengthen;  to  cheer. —  EF'FORT,  exertion. 

Fos'sa,  a  ditch  or  trench. 

FOSSE  (Fr),  a  trench. —  FOS'SIL,  a  substance  dug  from  the 
earth. 

Fran'gere  (frac'tutn),  to  break. 

FRAC'TION,  a  part. —  FRAC'TIOUS,  breaking  out  into  violence. 
—  FRAC'TURE,  a  breaking  (as,  of  a  bone);  a  breach. — 
FRAG'MENT,  a  broken  part. —  FRAG'ILE,  frail;  easily 
broken. —  FRAIL'TY,  weakness. —  INFRINGE',  to  break  in 
upon;  to  transgress. —  INFRAC'TION,  violation  of  a  contract 
or  law. —  IRREF'RAGABLE,  not  capable  of  being  broken  or 
refuted. —  INFRINGEMENT,  a  breach;  a  violation;  a  trans- 
gression.—  REFRAC'TORY,  obstinate ;  perverse. —  Sur'RAGE,33 
a  vote. 

Fra'ter,  a  brother. 

FRATER'NAL,  brotherly. —  FRATER'NITY,  brotherhood. —  FRAT'- 
RICIDE,  the  murder  or  murderer  of  a  brother. 

Fraus  (frau'dis),  deceit. 

FRAUD,  deceit. — FRAUD'ULENT,  deceitful. —  DEFRAUD',  to 
cheat,  to  impose  upon. 

83  Lat.  suffra'gium. — The  name  was  derived  from  the  custom 
of  using  potsherds  in  voting. 


112  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

Fri'gus  (fri'goris),  cold. 

FRIG'ID,  cold;  without  warmth  of  affection. —  FRIGID'ITY, 
coldness;  want  of  liveliness  or  spirit. —  REFRIG'ERATE,  to 
cool. —  REFRIG'ERATOR,  a  cooler. 

Frons  (fron'tis),  the  forehead. 

FRONT,  the  face ;  the  forepart. —  FRONT'ISPIECE,  a  picture  op- 
posite the  title-page  of  a  book. —  FRON'TIERS,  the  limits  of 
a  territory ;  borders. —  AFFRONT',  to  offend. —  CONFRONT', 
to  meet  face  to  face. —  EFFRONT'ERY,  impudence. 

Fru'ere  (fru'itus),  to  enjoy. 

FRUI'TION,  enjoyment. —  FRUC'TIFY  (L,  jrucftus,  fruit),  to 
render  fruitful. —  FRUIT,  the  produce  of  a  tree  or  plant. 

Fu'gere  (fu'gitum),  to  flee. 

FU'GITIVE,  running  away. —  CENTRI'FUGAL  (G),  having  a 
tendency  to  fly  from  the  centre. —  REF'UGE,  a  shelter;  a 
hiding  place. —  REFUGEE',  one  who  flies  for  protection. — 
SUB'TERFUGE,  a  trick;  an  evasion. 

Ful'gere,  to  shine. 

FUL'GENCY,  brightness. —  EFFUL'GENCE,  REFUL'GENCE,  great 
lustre. —  FUL'MINATE  (L,  ful'mino),  to  thunder;  to  send 
out  (as,  a  denunciation). —  FULMINA'TION,  denunciation. 

Fu'mus,  smoke. 

FUME,  smoke;  vapor. —  FI/MIGATE,  to  smoke. —  FUMIGA'- 
TION,  application  of  medicines  in  vapor. —  FUM'ING,  smok- 
ing; raging. — PERFUME',  v.  to  scent;  to  impregnate  with 
odors. 

Fun'dere  (fu'sum),  to  pour  out. 

FUSE,  to  melt. —  FU'SION,  the  act  of  melting. —  CONFOUND/ 
to  mingle  things;  to  perplex. —  CONFU'SION,  irregular 
mixture;  tumult. —  DIF'FUSE,  to  spread,  to  scatter. —  EF- 
FU'SION,  a  pouring  out. —  INFUSE',  to  pour  in;  to  instil. — 
PROFU'SION,  abundance. —  REFUND',  to  pour  back;  to  re- 
store.—  SUFFUSE',  to  spread  over. —  TRANSFUSE',  to  pour 
from  one  into  another. 

Fun'dus,  a  foundation,  or  bottom, 

FOUND,  to  establish. —  FOUND'ER,  one  who  establishes. — 
FUNDAMENTAL,  lying  at  the  foundation. —  PROFOUND', 
deep;  thorough. —  PROFUND'ITY,  depth. 


WORDS   DERIVED    FROM    LATIN    AND    GREEK 

Ga'lax  (G),  milk. 
GAL'AXY,  the  Milky  Way;  a  splendid  assemblage. 

Ga'mein  (G),  to  marry. 

BIG'AMY  (L),  the  crime  of  having  two  wives  at  once. — • 
POLYG'AMY,  the  having  of  a  plurality  of  wives. 

Gas'ter  (G),  the  belly. 

GAS'TRIC,  belonging  to  the  stomach. —  GASTRIL'OQUIST,  a 
ventriloquist. 

Ge  (G),  the  earth. 

GEOG'RAPHY,  a  description  of  the  earth's  surface. —  GEOL'- 
OGY,  the  science  of  the  structure  of  the  earth. —  GEOM'- 
ETRY,34  the  science  of  magnitude. —  GEOPON'ICS  (G,  ponos, 
labor),  agriculture. —  AP'OGEE,  greatest  distance  from  the 
earth. —  PER'IGREE,  nearest  approach  to  the  earth. 

Gen'nein  (G),  to  produce.    Ge'nea  (G),  birth;  origin. 
GENEAL'OGY,  lineage;  an  account  of  one's  descent. —  GEN'- 
ESIS  (G,  genesis),  origin;  creation. 

Ge'lu,  frost;  ice. 

GEI/ID,  extremely  cold. —  GEI/ATINE,  an  animal  substance 
resembling  jelly. —  CONGEAL',  to  turn  by  cold  from  a  fluid 
to  a  solid;  to  freeze. —  CONGEAL' ABLE,  susceptible  of  con- 
gelation. 

Get* ere  (ges'tum},  to  bear;  to  carry  on. 
GES'TURE,  action  intended  to  convey  ideas. —  GESTICULATE, 
to  accompany  words  with  gestures. —  CONGESTION,  an  ac- 
cumulation of  blood  in  some  part  of  the  body. —  DIGEST', 
to  arrange;  to  soften  or  dissolve. —  INDIGES'TION,  the 
state  of  food  undissolved  in  the  stomach. —  SUGGEST',  to 
intimate. —  VICEGERENT,  one  who  acts  in  the  place  of 
another. 

Gig' no  (G),  to  generate;  to  produce. 

GE'NIAL,  causing  production  or  growth. —  GE'NIUS  (L),  nat- 
ural disposition. —  GEN'ERAL,  comprehending  many  individ- 
uals.—  GENER'IC,  belonging  to  a  genus. —  GEN'DER,  sex. — 
GE'NUS  (L),  a  kind  including  many  species. —  GEN'UINE, 
natural;  unadulterated. —  GEN'TILE  (L,  gens,  a  nation), 
one  of  a  nation  ignorant  of  God. —  GEN'TLE,  soft;  mild; 

84  Primarily,  the  art  of  measuring  the  earth  or  globe. 


114  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

tame. —  CONGE'NIAL,  of  the  same  kind. —  DEGEN'ERATE,  to 
grow  worse. —  ENGEN'DER,  to  produce. —  GEN'ERATE,  to 
produce. —  GENERA'TION,  the  people  living  at  one  period. 

—  INDIG'ENOUS  (L,  in'de,  thence),  native  in  a  country. — 
INGE'NIOUS,      having      genius;      inventive. —  INGENU'ITY, 
acuteness;  power  to  invent. —  INGEN'UOUS,  candid;  open; 
fair. —  PRIMOGENITURE,  the  state  of  being  a  first-born. — 
PROGEN'ITOR,  a  forefather. —  PROG'ENY,  offspring;  race. — 
REGENERATE,    to    renew. —  REGENERATION,    new    spiritual 
birth  to  the  Christian  life. 

Gla'dius,  a  sword. 

GLA'DIATOR,  a  sword-player. —  GLADIATO'RIAL,  pertaining  to 
sword-playing. 

Glo'tta  or  Glossa  (G),  the  tongue;  language. 
GLOT'TIS  and  EPIGLOT'TIS,  parts  of  the  throat,  lying  near  the 
root   of   the   tongue. —  POL'YGLOT,    in    many    languages. — 
GLOSS' ARY,  a  limited  dictionary. 

Glu'phein  (G),  to  carve  or  engrave. 

GLYPH,  a  kind  of  ornament  in  sculpture. —  HI'EROGLYPH,  a 
mystical  character  or  symbol. 

Genti're,  to  swallow. 

GLUT,  to  fill ;  to  cloy. —  GLUT'TON,  an  excessive  eater. — 
GLUT/TONIZE,  to  eat  to  excess  or  gormandize. 

Gno'me  (G),  reason;  judgment.     Gno'sis  (G),  knowledge. 
DIAGNO'SIS,  judgment  respecting  the  character  of  a  disease. 

—  IG'NORANT,     destitute     of    knowledge. —  GNOS'TICS,     an 
ancient  sect  of  philosophers. —  PHYSIOG'NOMY,  the  art  of 
discerning  the  character  of  the  mind  from  the  countenance. 

—  PROGNOSTIC,  a  sign  by  which  a  future  event  may  be 
known. 

Go'nia  (G),  an  angle  or  corner. 

DIAG'ONAL,  passing  through  the  opposite  angles. —  GONIOM'- 
ETER,  an  instrument  for  measuring  angles. —  POL'YGON,  a 
figure  having  many  angles. —  TRIGONOM'ETRY,  the  measur- 
ing of  triangles. 

Gra'dior  (gres'sus),  to  take  steps;  to  walk. 
GRADA'TION,  regular  advance  step  by  step. —  GRAD'UAL   (L, 
gra'dus,  a  step),  advancing  by  steps. —  GRAD'UATE,  to  mark 
with   degrees. —  DEGREE',   a  step;   a   rank. —  DEGRADE',  to 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        1 15 

put  into  a  lower  rank. —  AGGRES'SION,  an  attack. —  AG- 
GRESS'OR,  one  who  makes  an  attack. —  CON'GRESS,  a  coming 
together ;  an  assembly  of  legislators. —  DIGRESS',  to  wan- 
der.—  E'GRESS,  departure  out  of. —  IN'GRESS,  entrance. — 
PROG'RESS,  advancement;  motion  forward. —  TRANSGRESS', 
to  pass  over;  to  violate. 

Gran'dis,  great. 

GRAND,  great ;  noble ;  chief. —  GRAND'EUR,  magnificence. — 
GRANDEE',  a  man  of  high  rank. —  GRANDIL'OQUENCE,  lofti- 
ness of  language. —  AG'GRANDIZE,  to  make  great;  to  exalt. 

Gra'num,  a  grain  of  corn. 

GRAIN,  a  seed  of  corn ;  a  minute  particle. —  GRAN'ARY,  a 
storehouse  for  grain. —  GRAN'ULAR,  consisting  of  grains. — 
GRANIV'OROUS,  eating  grain. —  GRAN'ITE,,  a  stone  com- 
posed of  crystalline  grains. 

Graph' ein  (G),  to  write:  Gramma  (G),  writing. 

AN'AGRAM,  a  transposition  of  the  letters  of  a  word. —  AU- 
TOGRAPH, a  specimen  of  one's  handwriting. —  DI'AGRAM, 
a  delineation ;  a  figure. —  EP'IGRAM,  a  short,  pointed  poem. 
—  GRAM'MAR,  the  science  which  treats  of  the  laws  of 
language. —  GRAPH'IC,  well  delineated ;  giving  vivid  de- 
scription.—  GRAPH'ITE,  a  substance  used  for  pencils. — 
PAR'AGRAPH,  a  distinct  part  of  a  composition. — 
PARALLEL'OGRAM,  a  figure  whose  opposite  sides  are 
parallel. —  SxENOc'RAPHY,35  shorthand. —  TEL'EGRAPH  (G, 
tele,  afar),  a  machine  for  communicating  intelligence  by 
signals. 

Grcftus,  pleasing;  agreeable;  thankful. 

GRATE'FUL,  thankful ;  pleasing. —  GRAT'ITUDE,  desire  to  re- 
turn benefits ;  thankfulness. —  IN'GRATE,  n.  an  ungrateful 
person. —  INGRAT'ITUDE,  unthankfulness. —  GRA'TIS  (L, 
gra'tia,  a  favor),  for  nothing. —  GRATUITOUS,  given  with- 
out necessity  or  reward. —  GRATU'ITY,  a  free  gift. —  GRAT'- 
IFY,  to  indulge;  to  delight. —  CONGRATULATE,  to  rejoice 
with  another. —  GRACE,  favor ;  pardon ;  elegance. —  DIS- 
GRACE', to  put  out  of  favor ;  to  dishonor. —  GRA'CIOUS, 
merciful;  favorable. 

Gra'vis,  heavy;  grievous, 
GRAVE,  serious;  weighty. —  GRAV'ITY,  weight;  seriousness. — 

35  The  termination  graphy,  which  is  found  in  a  large  class  of 
words,  denotes  a  writing  or  treatise. 


Il6        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

GRAVITA'TION,  tendency  to  the  centre  of  the  earth. — 
GRIEF,  sorrow;  regret. —  GRIEVOUS,  mournful;  sad. — 
GRIEVE,  to  mourn. —  AGGRIEVE',  to  harass. —  AG'GRAVATE,  to 
make  worse. 

Grex  (gre'gis},  a  flock  of  sheep. 

GREGA'RIOUS,  going  in  flocks  or  herds. —  CON'GREGATE,  to  as- 
semble.—  CONGREGATION,  an  assembly. —  EcRE'cious,36  emi- 
nently bad. —  AG'GREGATE,  the  result  of  conjunction  of 
many  particulars. —  SEG'REGATE,  to  separate  from  others. 

Guberna'tor,  a  pilot;  a  director. 

GOV'ERN,  to  direct ;  to  control. —  GUBERNATORIAL,  belonging 
to  a  governor. 

Gum'nos  (G),  naked. 

GYMNASIUM,"  a  place  for  athletic  exercises. —  GYMNAS'TIC, 
belonging  to  a  gymnasium. 

Gu'ne  (G),38  a  woman. 

GYN'ARCHY,  government  by  a  female. —  GYN^E'CIAN,  relating 
to  women. —  GYN^EOC'RACY,  government  over  which  a 
woman  may  preside. 

Gu'ros  (G),  a  circle. 
GYRA'TION,  a  whirling  round. —  GY'RAL,  whirling. 

Gusta're  (gusto? turn),  to  taste 

GUST,  taste;  relish.39  —  GUST'FUL,  well  tasted. —  DISGUST', 
aversion;  disrelish. —  DISGUST'ING,  nauseous;  exciting 
strong  aversion. 

Ha'bere  (hab'itum),  to  have. 

HAVE,  to  possess. —  HAB'IT,  usual  state  of  a  thing;  custom. 
HABITATION,  (L,  hab'ito,  to  dwell,  a  place  of  abode. — 
HABIT'UAL,  customary. —  Asii/iTY,40  faculty,  power. —  IN- 
HAB'IT,  to  dwell  in. 

38  Compounded   of    e   and   grex ;    signifying,    literally,   chosen 
from  the  flock;  distinguished;  in  the  Roman  languages  it  means 
something  highly  esteemed. 

87  In  the  ancient  games  the  combatants  were  naked,  or  nearly 
so;  hence  their  exercise  was  called  gumnasia. 

88  The  word  gune  enters  into  several  botanical  terms. 

39  Gust,  signifying  a  blast  of  wind,  is  not  of  Latin  derivation. 

40  Supposed  to  be  from  the  Latin  word  hab'ilis,  easily  man- 
aged; suitable. 


WORDS    DERIVED    FROM    LATIN    AND   GREEK        II? 

Hoirere  (hce'sum),  to  stick  to,  to  adhere. 
ADHERE',  to  stick  to. —  COHE'SION,  state  of  union ;  connection. 
—  COHE'RENT,     sticking    together;    consistent. —  INCOHE'- 
RENT,  inconsistent;  loose. —  INHE'RENT,  existing  in;  innate. 

Hoe' res  (hcere'dis),  an  heir  or  heiress. 
HER'ITAGE,  property  inherited. — INHER'IT,  to  possess  by 
descent. —  HEIR,  one  who  inherits. —  HEIR'SHIP,  the  state 
of  an  heir. —  HERED'ITARY,  descending  from  father  to  son. — 
CO-HEIR',  an  heir  with  another. —  HEIR'LOOM,  any  movable 
owned  by  inheritance. 

Hai'ma  (G),  blood. 

HEM'ORRHAGE,  a  flow  of  blood. —  HEM'ORRHOIDS,  bleeding  tu- 
mors. 

Hala're,  to  breathe. 

EXHALE',  to  breathe  out. —  EXHALA'TION,  vapor. —  INHALE', 
to  draw  in  with  the  breath. 

Hauri're  (haus'tum),  to  draw. 

EXHAUST',  to  draw  out  until  nothing  is  left. —  INEXHAUST'- 
IBLE,  that  cannot  be  exhausted;  unfailing. 

Heb'domos  (G),  the  seventh. 
HEB'DOMAD   (obsolete),  a  week. —  HEBDOM'ADAL,  weekly. 

Hed'ra  (G),  a  seat. 

CATHE'DRAL  (G),  the  see  or  seat  of  a  bishop;  the  principal 
church  in  a  diocese. —  SAN'HEDRIM,  the  chief  council  of  the 
Jews. —  TETRAHE'DRON,  a  solid  having  four  faces  or  sides. 

Hege'sis  (G),  a  leading;  an  explanation. 
EXEGE'SIS     (G),    exposition. —  EXEGET'ICAL,    pertaining    to 
exegesis. 

Ho' mo,  man. 

HU'MAN,  belonging  to  mankind. —  HUMANE',  having  the 
feelings  proper  to  man. —  INHU'MAN,  barbarous;  cruel. — 
HUMAN'ITY,  the  nature  of  man;  kindness. —  HOM'ICIDE, 
manslaughter. 

Ho'nor,  honor. 

HON'OR,  dignity;  respect. —  HON'ORARY,  done  in  honor. — 
HON'ORABLE,  worthy  of  honor. —  DISHON'OR,  reproach ; 
disgrace. —  HON'EST,  without  fraud;  upright. —  DISHON'- 
EST,  unjust;  iniquitous. 


Il8        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Ho/tus,  a  garden. 
HORTICULTURE,  cultivation  of  a  garden. 

Hek'aton  (G),  a  hundred. 

HEC/  ATOMS   (G,  an  ox),  an  ancient  heathen  sacrifice  of  a 
hundred  oxen  or  other  animals  at  once. 

He'lios  (G),  the  sun. 

APHE'LION,  greatest  distance  from  the  sun.  —  HELI'ACAL, 
emerging  from  the  light  of  the  sun  or  passing  into  it.  — 
HE'LIOTROPE,  a  plant  that  turns  to  the  sun.  —  PERIHE'- 
nearest  approach  of  a  planet  to  the  sun. 


Hel'len  (G),  a  Greek. 

HELLEN'IC,  pertaining  to  Greece.  —  HEL'LENIST,  one  skilled 
in  the  Greek  language. 

He'mera  (G),  a  day. 

EPHEM'ERAL,  lasting  but  a  day.  —  EPHEM'ERIS,  a  kind  of  al- 
manac. 

He'mi  (G),  a  prefix  signifying  half. 

HEMISPHERE  (G,  a  ball),  a  half  sphere.  —  HEM'ISTICH,  half 
a  line  in  poetry. 

Hep'ta  (G),  seven. 

HEP'TAGON,  a  figure  having  seven  angles.  —  HEP'TARCHY,  a 
government  by  seven  persons. 

Het'eros  (G),  other;  another. 

HET'ERODOX,  heretical  ;  holding  erroneous  sentiments.  —  HET- 
EROGE'NEOUS,  of  different  nature  or  kind. 

Hex  (G),  six. 

HEX'AGON,  a  figure  having  six  angles.  —  HEXAM'ETER,  hav- 
ing six  metrical  feet. 

Hip'pos  (G),  a  horse. 

HIPPOPOTAMUS,  the  river-horse.  —  HIP'PODROME,  anciently,  a 
circus. 

Hi'eros  (G),  sacred. 

HIERARCHY,   ecclesiastical   government.  —  HIEROGLYPHIC,   a 
sacred  character  or  symbol. 

41  The  word  helios  enters  into  various  astronomical  terms. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK 

Hom'ilos  (G),  an  assembly  or  company. 
HOM'ILY,   a  discourse  pronounced  to   an  audience. —  HOM- 
ILET'IC,  pertaining  to  pulpit  discourse. 

Horn' os  (G),  united;  like. 

HOMOGE'NEOUS,  of  the  same  kind  or  nature. —  HOMOLOGOUS, 
proportionate  to  each  other. 

Ho'ra  (G),  an  hour. 

HO'RAL,  relating  to  an  hour. —  HOROL'OGY,  the  art  of  making 
time-pieces. 

Hori'zein  (G),  to  fix  a  limit. 

HORI'ZON,  the  limit  which  bounds  the  sight. —  HORIZON'TAL, 
parallel  to  the  horizon. 

HoJpes,  a  host  or  guest. 

HOS'PITABLE,  kind  to  visitors. —  HOSPITAL'ITY,  readiness  to 
entertain  strangers  and  friends. —  HOS'PITAL,  a  building 
for  the  sick  or  infirm. —  HOST,  the  master  of  a  feast ;  the 
landlord  of  an  inn. —  HOTEL' 42  (Fr),  an  inn. —  HOSTELER, 
one  who  takes  care  of  horses  at  an  inn. 

Hos^tis,  an  enemy. 
HOST,  an  army;  a  multitude. —  HOS'TILE,  adverse;  opposite. 

—  HOS'TILITY,  enmity. —  HOSTILITIES,  hostile  proceedings. 

Hu'dor  (G),  water. 

HY'DRA,  a  water-serpent. —  HY'DRANT,  a  pipe  for  discharging 
water. —  HYDRAUL'IC,  relating  to  the  conveyance  of  water 
through  pipes. —  HY'DROGEN,  one  of  the  elements  of  water. 

—  HYDROPHO'BIA    (G,    fear),    dread    of    water. —  HYDRO- 
STAT'IC,  relating  to  the  weight  and  equilibrium  of  fluids. — 

DROP'SY  (G),  a  disease. 

Hum'us,   the   ground.    Hu'milis,   humble. 

INHUME',  INHU'MATE,  to  bury. —  EXHUME',  to  disinter. — 
POST'HUMOUS,  published  after  the  author's  death. —  Hu'- 
MID,  moist;  damp. —  HUMID'ITY,  dampness. —  HUM'BLE, 
modest;  submissive. —  HUMIL'ITY,  freedom  from  pride. — 
HUMILIATION,  abasement  of  pride. —  HU'MOR,  moisture; 
turn  of  mind ;  wit. 

I'd  em,  the  same. 

IDEN'TITY,  sameness. —  IDEN'TICAL,  the  same. —  IDEN'TIFY,  to 
discover  or  prove  sameness. 

42  The  word  Hotel  was  once  written  Hostel. 


I2O        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Igfnis,  fire. 

IGNITE',  to  set  on  fire. —  IG'NEOUS,  of  the  nature  of  fire. — 
IGNI'TION,  the  state  of  red  heat. 

Ima'go  (imag'inis*),  an  image. 

IM'AGE,  a  representation;  statue;  picture. —  IM'AGERY,  figur- 
ative representation. —  IMAG'INE,  to  fancy. —  IMAGINA'- 
TION,  fancy ;  idea. —  IMAG'INARY,  fancied ;  visionary. 

Imperi're,  to  command. 

IMPER'ATIVE,  commanding;  authoritative;  the  name  of  a 
mode  in  grammar. —  IMPE'RIOUS,  overbearing;  domineer- 
ing.—  IMPE'RIAL,  pertaining  to  an  emperor. —  EM'PEROR,  a 
monarch. —  EM'PIRE,  the  dominion  of  an  emperor. 

Ina'nis,  empty. 

INAN'ITY,  emptiness;  vacancy;  vanity. —  INANI'TION,  empti- 
ness; exhaustion. 

Ich'thus  (G),  a  fish. 

ICHTHYOI/OGY,  the  science  of  fishes. —  ICH'THYOLITE,  fossil 
fish. 

In'dex  (in'dicis),  a  sign;  a  pointer. 

INDEX,  n.  a  pointer ;  a  table  of  contents. —  IN'DEX,  v.  to  place 
in  an  index  or  table. —  IN'DEX-HAND,  a  hand  that  points  to 
something. —  IN'DICES  (plural  of  in'dex),  algebraic  signs. 

Id'ios  (G),  belonging  to  one;  peculiar. 

ID'IOM,  peculiarity  of  expression  or  phraseology. —  lo'iox/3 
a  fool. —  IDIOSYN'CRASY  (G,  constitution),  peculiar  liability 
to  some  form  of  disease;  a  personal  trait. 

I'dos  (G),  appearance;  figure. 

CYCLOID,**  a  geometrical  curve. —  SPHEROID',  a  solid  resem- 
bling a  sphere. 

In'ferus,  nether;  subterranean. 
INFE'RIOR,  lower ;  less  honorable. —  INFER'NAL,  hellish. 

43  The  Greek  word  idiotes  signifies  o  private  individual;  it  was 
used  also  to  signify  a  very  ignorant  person. 

44  Literally,  the  likeness  or  resemblance  of  a  circle.    The  ter- 
mination oid  is  found  in  words  not  here  given,  and  has  the  same 
signification,  viz. :  resemblance. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        121 

In'sula,  an  island. 

IN'SULAR,  belonging  to  an  island. —  ISI/AND,  ISLE,  a  body  of 
land  surrounded  by  water. —  I'SOLATED,  placed  by  itself. — 
IN'SULATE,  to  detach  from  surrounding  objects. —  PENIN'- 
SULA,  land  nearly  surrounded  by  the  sea. 

In'teger,  whole;  entire. 

IN'TEGRAL,  entire;  whole;  unbroken. —  IN'TEGER,  a  whole 
number. —  INTEGRITY,  entireness ;  honesty ;  purity  of  mind. 

In'tus  and  In'tra,  within. 

INTE'RIOR,  and  INTER'NAL,  inner,  pertaining  to  the  inside. — 
IN'TIMATE  (L  in'tfonus,  inmost),  familiar;  acquainted  witfi 
the  mind  of  another. —  INTIMA'TION  (Fr.),  a  hint;  an  in- 
direct suggestion. —  INTRINSIC  (L  secus,  otherwise),  be- 
longing to  the  nature  of  a  thing;  inherent. 

I'ra,  anger. 
IRE,  anger. —  IRAS'CIBLE,  easily  made  angry. 

Ire  (i'tum),  to  go. 

AM'BIENT,  surrounding. —  AMBI'TION/S  a  desire  of  honor. — 
EX'IT  (L),  a  going  out;  a  departure. —  INI'TIAL,  placed  at 
the  entrance  or  beginning. — INI'TIATE,  to  give  entrance  to, 
(as  to  a  custom  or  society)  ;  to  admit  to  the  knowledge  of; 
to  introduce. —  TRANS'IT,  a  passing  over. —  TRANSITION, 
the  act  or  state  of  passing  from  one  condition  to  another. 

—  TRANS'ITIVE,  in  grammar,  passing  over  upon  some  ob- 
ject. 

I'sos  (G),  equal. 

ISOCH'RONOUS,  performed  in  equal  times  (as  the  vibration 
of  a  pendulum). —  ISOS'CELES  (G,  the  leg),  having  two  legs 
or  sides  which  are  equal. 

I'ter  (itin'eris),  a  journey.    I'tero,  to  repeat. 
ITIN'ERANT,    wandering;    unsettled. —  ITIN'ERARY,    traveling. 

—  IT'ERATE,  to  go  or  do  over  again. —  ITIN'ERATE,  to  travel 
from  place  to  place. 

J a' cere,  to  lie. 
JA'CENT,  lying  at  length. —  ADJA'CENT,  lying  or  situated  next. 

—  CIRCUMJA'CENT,  lying  round. —  INTERJA'CENT.  lying  be- 
tween. 

45  The  Latin  word  ambi'tus,  signifies  a  going  round  or  about ; 
and  was  used  to  denote  the  canvassing  for  votes,  and  the  solicit- 
ing of  popular  favor  employed  by  those  who  sought  office. 


122        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

J of  cere  (jac'tum),  to  throw. 

EJAC'ULATE,  to  utter  suddenly;  (as  a  prayer). —  EJACULA'- 
TION,  short  prayer  uttered  in  the  midst  of  other  occupa- 
tions.—  AB'JECT,  thrown  away;  worthless;  mean. —  AD'- 
JECTIVE,  a  word  added  to  a  noun  to  qualify  it. —  CONJEC'- 
TURE,  to  guess. —  DEJECT',  to  cast  down ;  to  grieve. — 
EJECT',  to  cast  out ;  to  expel. —  INJECT',  to  throw  in. —  IN- 
TERJEC'TION,  an  exclamation  thrown  in  between  parts  of  a 
sentence. —  OB'JECT,  that  to  which  any  action  or  thought  is 
directed. —  OBJECT'IVE,  belonging  to  the  object;  acted  on. — 
PROJECT',  v.  to  throw  out;  to  scheme. —  PROJ'ECT,  n.  a  de- 
sign; contrivance. —  PROJEC'TILE,  a  body  thrown  forward. 
—  REJECT',  to  refuse. —  SUBJECT',  v.  to  put  under ;  to  sub- 
due.—  SUB'JECT,  «.  that  which  is  acted  upon ;  one  who  is 
under  the  dominion  of  another. 

Jo'cus,  a  joke. 

JOKE,  a  jest;  a  merry  trick. —  JOCOSE',  JOC'ULAR,  merry;  wag- 
gish.—  JOCULAR'ITY,  merriment. —  JOC'UND,  gay;  lively. 

Judica're  (judica'tum),46  to  judge. 

JU'DICATORY,  a  tribunal. —  JUDI'CIAL,  pertaining  to  courts  of 
justice. —  JUDI'CIARY,  the  system  of  courts  of  justice. — 
ADJU'DICATE,  to  try  and  determine. —  ADJUDGE',  to  decree 
judicially. —  EXTRAJUDI'CIAL,  out  of  the  ordinary  judicial 
course. —  JUDGE,  to  decide. —  JUDI'CIOUS,  guided  by  judg- 
ment.—  PREJ'UDICE,  opinion  formed  without  due  examina- 
tion.—  PREJUDICIAL,  hurtful. 

Jun'gere  (junc'tum),  to  join. 

JUNCTION,  union. —  JOIN,  to  unite. —  JOINT  (Fr.),  a  joining; 
a  connection  allowing  motion. —  JOIN'ER,  one  who  joins 
pieces  of  wood. —  ADJOIN'ING,  next ;  contiguous. —  CON'- 
JUGAL,  relating  to  marriage. —  CONJUNCTION,  a  connect- 
ing word. —  DISJOIN',  to  separate. —  DISJUNCTION,  separa- 
tion ;  disunion. —  DISJUNCTIVE,  separating. —  ENJOIN',  to 
command. —  INJUNCTION,  precept ;  order. —  SUB'JUGATE,*T 
to  conquer ;  to  subdue. —  SUBJUNCT'IVE,  conditional. 

Jur'are,  to  swear. 

ABJURE',  to  renounce  upon  oath. —  ADJURE',  to  put  one  upon 
oath. —  CONJURE',  to  summon  or  call  upon  one  in  a  solemn 
manner. —  CON'JURE,  to  practise  secret  or  magical  arts. — 

48  Judico  is  compounded  of  jus  and  dico. 
47  Lat.  sub,  under,  and  ju'gum,  a  yoke. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        123 

JU'RY,  a  set  of  men  sworn  to  give  a  true  verdict. —  JU'ROR, 
a  member  of  a  jury. —  PER'JURE,  to  swear  falsely;  to  take 
a  false  oath. 

Jus  (/u'm),  right;  justice;  law. 

JUST,  equitable;  honest. —  UN'JUST,  iniquitous;  dishonest. — 
JUST'ICE,  right;  a  magistrate. —  INJUSTICE,  wrong. — 
JUST'IFY,  to  clear  from  guilt. —  JU'RIST,  one  versed  in  the 
law. —  ADJUST',  to  set  right. —  IN'JURE,  to  treat  unjustly; 
to  wrong;  to  hurt. —  INJU'RIOUS,  hurtful. —  JURISDICTION, 
legal  authority;  extent  of  power. —  JURISPRUDENCE  (L, 
pruden'tia,  knowledge),  the  science  of  law. 

Ju'venis,  young. 

JU'VENILE,  youthful;  fit  for  children. —  JI/NIOR,  (L), 
younger  than  another. 

Kafkos  (G),  bad. 

CACHEX'Y  (G),  condition,  a  deranged  state  of  the  body. — 
CACOPH'ONY,  harshness  of  sound. 

Kalup'tein  (G),  to  cover;  to  veil. 

APOC/ALYPSE,  a  revelation. —  APOCALYP'TIC,  pertaining  to  a 
revelation. 

Kan' on  (G),  a  rule. 

CAN'ON,  a  rule  or  law;  a  catalogue  of  saints. —  CAN'ONIZE,  to 
declare  one  a  saint. 

Kai'ein  (G),  to  burn. 

CAUS'TIC,  burning ;  corroding. —  CAU'TERY,  a  burning  or 
searing. 

Ka/dia   (G),  the  heart. 

CAR'DIAC,  pertaining  to  the  heart. —  PERICAR'DIUM,  a  mem- 
brane enclosing  the  heart. 

Ken' iron  (G),  a  central  point. 

CEN'TRE,  the  middle  point. —  CONCEN'TRATE,  to  bring  to- 
gether ;  to  bring  into  a  smaller  compass. —  CENTRIFUGAL, 
tending  from  the  centre. —  ECCEN'TRIC,  deviating  from  the 
centre;  irregular;  anomalous. 

Keph'ale  (G),  the  head. 

CEPHAL'IC,  pertaining  to  the  head. —  HYDROCEPH'ALUS, 
dropsy  of  the  head. 


124        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Ke'ras  (G),  a  horn. 

MONOC'EROS,  an  animal  having  but  one  horn. —  RHINOC'EROS, 
an  animal  having1  a  horn  on  the  nose. 

Konch'e  (G),  a  shell. 

CONCH,  a  marine  shell. —  CONCHOID'AL,  shaped  like  a  shell. — 
CONCHOI/OGY,  the  science  of  shells. 

Kap'tein  (G),48  to  cut. 

APOC'OPATE,  to  cut  off  from  the  end  of  a  word. —  SYN'COPATE, 
to  remove  letters  from  the  middle  of  a  word. 

Kos'mos  (G),  the  world. 

COSMOG'ONY,  an  account  of  the  origin  or  creation  of  the 
world. —  COSMOPOLITE,  a  citizen  of  the  world. —  MK/RO- 
COSM,  a  little  world. —  COSMET'IC,  a  preparation  designed  to 
beautify  the  complexion.48 

Kra'nion,  the  skull. 

CRA'NIUM,  the  skull. —  PERICRA'NIUM  (G,  around),  the  mem- 
brane that  covers  the  skull. —  CRANIOL'OGY,  the  science 
of  skulls. —  CRANIOS'COPY,  the  examination  of  the  skull. 

Kra'tos  (G),  might,  power. 

The  terminations,  cracy,  erotic,  etc.,  are  from  this  word. 
See  21. 

Kri'tes  (G),  a  judge. 

CRIT'IC,  a  judge  in  literature  or  art. —  CRITE'RION,  a  standard 
of  judgment. —  HYPERCRIT'ICAL,  critical  beyond  reason. — 
CRI'SIS,  the  deciding  point. 

Krup'tein  (G),  to  conceal. 

APOC'RYPHAL,  of  doubtful  origin. —  CRYPTOG'AMY,  concealed 
union. 

Kuk'los  (G),  a  circle. 

CY'CLE,  a  period  of  time. —  CY'CLOID,  a  curve. —  CYCLO- 
PE'DIA,  ENCYCLOPE'DIA,  the  circle  of  sciences. 

Ku'on  (G),  a  dog. 
CYN'ICAL,BO  surly;  austere. — CYN'OSURE,"  a  constellation. 

48  Gamma  here  has  the  sound  of  ng. 

49  A   primary   signification   of   the   word   kosmos,  is  —  order; 
beautiful  arrangement. 

50  The   Cynics   were  philosophers  who   valued  themselves  on 


WORDS    DERIVED    FROM    LATIN    AND    GREEK        125 

Kusftis  (G),  a  bladder;  a  bag. 
CYST,  a  bag ;  a  vesicle. —  ENCYST'ED,  enclosed  in  a  bag. 

La'bor,  labor. 

LA'BOR,  work,  toil. —  LABO'RIOUS,  diligent  in  work;  tiresome. 
—  LABORATORY,  a  chemist's  workroom. —  ELAB'ORATE,  fin- 
ished with  care. 

La' os  (G),  the  people. 

LA'ITY,  the  people,  as  distinguished  from  the  clergy. —  LAY, 
not  clerical. —  LAY'MAN,  one  who  is  not  a  clergyman. 

La' pis  (lap'idis),  a  stone. 

LAP'IDARY,  a  worker  in  precious  stones. —  DILAPIDATION,^ 
ruin;  demolition. 

Lapsa're  (lap'sus},  to  slide. 

LAPSE,  fall ;  trifling  error  or  fault. —  COLLAPSE',  to  fall  inward 
or  together. —  ELAPSE',  to  glide  away. —  RELAPSE',  to  fall 
back  again. 

La'tus,  broad. 

LAT'ITUDE,  breadth ;  extent ;  distance  from  the  equator. — 
LATITUDINA'RIAN,  a  person  who  indulges  freedom  in  think- 
ing. 

La'tus  (lat'eris),  a  side. 

LAT'ERAL,  pertaining  to  the  side. —  COLLATERAL,  placed  by 
the  side ;  classed  with. —  EQUILAT'ERAL,  of  equal  sides. — 
TRILAT'ERAL,  having  three  sides. 

Laus  (lau'dis),  praise. 

LAUD,  to  praise;  to  extol. —  LAUD'ABLE,  praiseworthy. — 
LAUD'ATORY,  containing  praise. —  LAUD'ANUM,"  tincture  of 
opium. 

Lega're  (lega'tum),  to  send  as  an  ambassador;  to  appoint. 
LEG' ATE,  a  deputy;  an  ambassador. —  LEGA'TION,  a  deputa- 
tian ;  an  embassy. —  LEG'ACY,  something  left  by  will. —  LEG- 

their  contempt  of  riches  and  amusements,  and  laughed  at  the 
errors  and  follies  of  mankind. 

61  Literally,  a  dog's  tail.  That  which  attracts  general  notice, 
is  sometimes  called,  figuratively,  a  cynosure. 

52  Primary  meaning,  the  falling  down  of  the  stones  of  a  wall. 

63  This  word  is  supposed  to  have  been  derived,  in  some  humor- 
ous usage,  from  laus. 


126  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

ATEE',  one  who  receives  a  legacy. —  ALLEGE',  to  adduce ;  to 
plead  an  excuse. —  ALLEGA'TION,  affirmation ;  plea. —  COL'- 
LEAGUE,  a  fellow  ambassador  or  officer. —  DEL'EGATE,  v.  to 
send  on  an  embassy. —  DEL'EGATE,  n.  a  deputy,  a  commis- 
sioner. 

Ledger e  (lec'tum),  to  gather;  to  select;  to  read. 
LEC'TURE,  a  discourse  that  communicates  formal  instruction. 
—  LEG'IBLE,  that  can  be  read. —  LE'GEND,  a  narrative  of 
fabulous  character. —  LE'GION,  a  chosen  body  of  men. — 
COLLECT',  to  gather  together. —  COLLECTIVE,  gathered  into 
one  mass. —  ELEC'TION,  the  act  of  choosing. —  EL'IGIBLE, 
fit  to  be  chosen. —  IN'TELLECT,  understanding. —  INTEL'LI- 
GENT,  able  to  understand. —  NEGLECT'  (L  nee,  not),  to 
slight;  to  postpone. —  RECOLLECT',  to  call  up  in  memory. — 
SELECT',  to  choose. 

Lefnis,  mild;  gentle. 

LE'NIENT,  mild ;  fitted  to  soothe. —  LEN'ITY,  mildness  of  tem- 
per; tenderness;  mercy. 

Let  the  (G),  forgetfulness ;  oblivion. 

LETHE'AN,  inducing  forgetfulness. —  LETH'ARGY,  morbid 
drowsiness. 

Leva're,  to  raise. 

LEV'ITY,  lightness;  vanity;  mirth. —  EL'EVATE,  to  lift  up. — 
ALLE'VIATE,  to  lighten. —  LEV'Y,  to  raise ;  to  collect. —  REL'- 
EVANT,  capable  of  aiding;  applicable. —  IRREL'EVANT,  not 
applicable. —  RELIEVE',  to  aid;  to  succor. 

Lex  (le*gis),  a  law. 

LE'GAL,  lawful. —  ILLE'GAL,  unlawful. —  LE'GALIZE,  to  make 
lawful. —  LEGITIMATE,  correctly  derived. —  LEGISLATURE, 
the  law-making  power. —  LEG'ISLATE,  to  enact  laws. — 
PRiv'iLEGE,54  a  special  right  or  advantage. —  LEGITIMACY, 
a  political  term,  signifying  lawful  hereditary  succession. 

Lex'is  (G),  a  word  or  expressipn. 

LEX'ICON,  a  dictionary  (Anglice,  a  word-book). —  LEXICOG'- 
RAPHY,  the  compilation  of  a  dictionary. 

Li'ber,  free. 

LIB'ERAL,  bountiful;  generous. —  LIB'ERTY,  freedom. —  LIB'- 
ERATE,  to  set  free. —  LIB'ERALIZE,  to  remove  narrow  views. 

64  Primary  signification,  a  law  for  the  advantage  of  particular 
individuals. 


WORDS    DERIVED    FROM    LATIN    AND    GREEK 

—  LIB'ERTINE,  one  under  no  moral  restraint. —  ILLIB'ERAL, 
mean;  suspicious. 

Li'ber  (li'bri),  a  book. 

LI'BRARY,  a  collection  of  books. —  LI'BEL,  (L,  libel'lus,  a 
small  writing  or  document),  a  defamatory  writing. —  Li- 
BRA'RIAN,  one  who  has  the  care  of  books. —  LI'BELOUS,  de- 
famatory. 

Libra' re  (libra' turn),  to  weigh  in  a  balance. 
DELIBERATE,  to  weigh  mentally. —  EQUILIBRIUM,  equality  of 
weights  in  a  balance. 

Li'cet,  it  is  lawful,  or  allowable. 
LI'CENSE,   permission. —  LICEN'TIOUS,   wanton;   unrestrained. 

—  ILLIC'IT,  unlawful;  improper. —  LICEN'TIATE,  one  who 
has  received  a  license. 

Liga're  (liga'tum),  to  bind. 

LIG'AMENT,  a  band. —  LIG'ATURE,  anything  that  binds ;  a  band- 
age.—  ALLE'GIANCE,  acknowledged  obligation  to  obey. — 
OBLIGE',  to  compel ;  to  place  under  bonds  of  duty. —  OBLI- 
GA'TION,  a  binding  requirement. —  RELIG'ION,  our  duty  to 
God  and  to  man. 

Li'men,  a  threshold. 

ELIMINATE,  to  put  out  of  doors;  to  cast  out. —  PRELIM'- 
INARY,  before  the  threshold;  introductory. 

Lin'gua,  the  tongue;  a  language. 

LAN'GUAGE,  human  speech;  style. —  LIN'GUIST,  one  skilled  in 
languages. 

Lin'quere  (lic'tum},  to  leave. 

DELINQUENT,  failing  in  duty. —  DERELICTION,  a  forsaking. — 
RELINQUISH,  to  abandon. —  REL'IC,  something  left. —  REL'- 
ICT,  literally,  one  left;  a  widow. 

Li'num,  flax.    Lin'ea,  a  line. 

LIN'EN,  cloth  made  of  flax. —  LIN'SEED,  the  seed  of  flax. — 
LIN'SEY-WOOLSEY,  cloth  made  of  linen  and  wool. —  LINT, 
down  scraped  from  linen. —  LINE  (lin'ea~),  a  thread  or 
cord.  LIN'EAR,  consisting  of  lines. —  LIN'EAL,  in  a  line. — 
LIN'EAGE,  descent;  family  line. —  LIN'EAMENT,  an  outline 
of  the  face  or  of  a  portion  of  it. —  CURVILIN'EAR,  having 
curved  lines. —  DELIN'EATE,  to  draw  an  outline. 


128  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

Lis  (li'tis),  strife. 

LITIGA'TION,  going  to  law. —  LIT'IGANT,  one  engaged  in  a 
law-suit. 

Lit'era,  a  letter. 

LITERATURE,  learning. —  LIT'ERARY,  relating  to  learning. — 
LIT'ERAL,  exact  to  the  letter. —  ILLITERATE,  unlearned. — 
LET'TER,  a  character  representing  some  sound ;  an  epistle. 

—  ALLITERA'TION,  the  beginning  of  several  words  in  suc- 
cession with  the  same  letter. 

Li'thos  (G),  a  stone. 

LITHOG'RAPHY,  writing  or  drawing  on  stone. —  CHRYSOLITE," 
a  precious  stone. 

Lo'cus,  a  place. 

LO'CAL,  relating  to  place. —  LOCALITY,  situation ;  place. —  Lo'- 
CATE,  to  place. —  LOCOMO'TION,  power  of  changing  place. — 
LOCOMO'TIVE,  having  the  power  of  motion  from  one  place 
to  another. —  DIS'LOCATE,  to  put  out  of  joint. 

Log' os  (G),  a  speech,  account,  or  description. 
ANAL'OGY,  correspondence. —  APOL'OGY,  an  excuse;  a  plea. — 
CAT'ALOGUE    (G),   a   list. —  DIALOGUE,    a   conversation. — 
LOG'IC,   the   art   of    reasoning. —  LOGOM'ACHY,   a   war   of 
words. —  PHILOLOGY,"  the  science  of  language. 

Lon'gus,  long. 

LONG,  a.  not  short. —  LONG,  v.  to  desire  earnestly. —  LON'- 
GITUDE,  length ;  distance  east  or  west. —  LONGEVITY,  length 
of  life. —  PROLONG',  to  lengthen  out. —  ELON'GATE,  to 
lengthen. 

Lo'quor  (locu'tus),  to  speak. 

LOQUAC'ITY,  talkativeness. —  COL'LOQUY,  a  conference. —  COL- 
LO'QUIAL,  relating  to  conversation. —  ELOCU'TION,  the  art 
of  oratorical  delivery. —  EL'OQUENT,  having  oratorical 
powers. —  EL'OQUENCE,  the  art  of  speaking  well;  oratory. 

—  OB'LOQUY,    censorious    speech. —  LOQUA'CIOUS,    full    of 
talk ;  garrulous. —  SOLIL'OQUY,  a  speech  in  solitude. —  VEN- 
TRIL'OQUIST,  one  who  can  speak  as  if  from  his  stomach. 

65  The  termination  lite,  from  litos,  is  found  in  the  names  of 
many  minerals. 

56  The  termination  or  suffix  logy,  which  is  found  in  a  large 
number  of  words,  is  from  logos,  and  denotes  art,  science,  descrip- 
tion, account,  etc. 


WORDS    DERIVED    FROM    LATIN    AND    GREEK        129 

Lu'crum,  gain. 
LU'CRE  (Fr),  gain;  profit. —  LU'CRATIVE,  profitable. 

Lucia' ri  (lucta'tus') ,  to  struggle. 
RELUC'TANCE,  unwillingness. —  RELUC'TANT,  unwilling. 

Lu'dere  (lu'sum),  to  play. 

LU'DICROUS,  exciting  laughter. —  ALLU'SION,  a  reference  to 
something. —  COLLU'SION,  dishonest  agreement  or  compact. 

—  ELUDE',  to  escape  by  stratagem. —  DELU'SION,  deceptive 
appearance. —  INTERLUDE,  a  play  performed  between  the 
principal  exhibitions. —  PRE'LUDE,  an  introductory  play. 

Lu'na,  the  moon. 

LU'NAR,  relating  to  the  moon. —  LUNE,  a  figure  in  the  form 
of  a  crescent ;  a  crescent  or  half-moon. —  LU'NACY,  a  sort 
of  madness.67 —  LU'NATIC,  an  insane  person. —  SUB'LU- 
NARY,  beneath  the  moon;  earthly. 

Lu'ere  (lu'tum),  to  wash  away. 

ABLU'TION,  a  washing  or  cleansing. —  ANTEDILU'VIAN  (L  di- 
lu'vium,  a  deluge),  existing  before  the  Deluge. —  ALLU'- 
VIAL,  deposited  by  inundation. —  DILU'VIAN,  relating  to  the 
Deluge. —  DILUTE',  to  make  thin  or  weak. —  POLLUTE'  (L 
pol'luo,  to  defile),  to  defile;  to  make  unclean. 

Lu'sis  (G),  a  loosing  or  dissolving. 

ANAL'YSIS,  the  separation  of  a  compound  into  its  constituent 
parts. —  PARAL'YSIS,  palsy. —  PARALYT'IC,  affected  with 
palsy. 

Lux   (lu'cis),  and  Lu'men   (luf  minis'),  light. 
LU'CID,  LU'CENT,  bright;   shining;  giving  light. —  LU'CIFER, 
the   morning  star. —  LU'MINOUS,   emitting   light. —  LU'MI- 
NARY,  anything  that  gives  light. —  ELU'CIDATE,  to  explain. 

—  ILLU'MINATE,   to   enlighten;   to   light. —  TRANSLU'CENT, 
clear;  transparent. 

Mach'omai  (G),  to  fight. 
MONOM'ACHY,  single  combat. —  NAU'MACHY,  a  sea-fight. 

Magisftcr,  a  master. 
MAGISTRATE,  one  having  civil  authority. —  MAGISTRACY,  the 

57  The  name  was  derived  from  a  superstitious  notion  that  in- 
sanity was  connected  with  the  influence  of  the  moon. 


I3O  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

office  or  dignity  of  a  magistrate. —  MAGISTERIAL,  having 
the  air  of  authority. —  MAS'TER,  one  having  the  direction 
or  control. 

Mag'nus,  great;  Ma'jor,  greater. 

MAG'NITUDE,  greatness. —  MAG'NIFY,  to  make  great;  to  extol. 
—  MAGNIFICENCE,  grandeur. —  MAIN,  n.  the  gross;  the 
chief  part. —  MAIN,  a.  chief;  principal. —  MA'JOR,  a. 
greater. —  MAJOR'ITY,  the  part  of  any  number  greater 
the  sum  of  all  the  other  parts. —  MAJ'ESTY,  grandeur ; 
ereignty;  royal  title. —  MAJES'TIC,  stately;  grand. 


than 
sov- 


Ma'lus,  bad. 

MALEDIC/TION,  a  curse. —  MALEFACTOR,  a  criminal. —  MAL'- 
ICE,  a  disposition  to  injure  without  cause. —  MALIG'NITY, 
extreme  enmity. —  MALEV'OLENT,  wishing  ill  to  another. — 
MALADMINISTRATION,  bad  use  of  power. —  MALIGN',  to 
slander ;  to  defame. —  MALPRAC'TICE,  evil  or  illegal  practice 
or  conduct. 

Man' dare6*  (Amanda' turn),  to  commit;  to  give  a  charge  or 
command. 

MAN'DATE,  an  order. —  COMMAND',  to  govern;  to  order. — 
RECOMMEND',  to  commend  to  another. —  COUNTERMAND', 
to  revoke  a  former  command. —  DEMAND',  to  call  for  with 
authority. —  REMAND',  to  send  back. 

Mane' re  (man' sum),  to  stay. 

MAN'SION,  place  of  abode;  house. —  REMAIN'DER,  the  differ- 
ence between  two  quantities. —  PER'MANENT,  durable,  last- 
ing.—  REMAIN',  to  stay;  to  be  left. —  REM'NANT,  that  which 
is  left;  residue. 

Mantei'a60   (G),  soothsaying;  divination. 

Ma'nus,  the  hand 

MAN'UAL,  performed  by  hand ;  a  book  which  may  be  held  in 
the  hand. —  MANUFACTORY,  a  working  place. —  MANUFAc7- 

68  Manda'mus,  signifying  we  command,  is  the  name  of  a  com- 
mand or  writ  issuing  from  the  King's  Bench  in  England,  and  in 
America  from  some  of  the  higher  courts,  directed  to  any  per- 
son, corporation,  or  inferior  court,  requiring  them  to  do  some 
act  therein  specified. 

69  The   suffix  money,  as   in   nec'ro money,   is   from   this   word. 
Necromancy,  (G.  nekros,  dead),  signifies  the  revealing  of  future 
events  by  pretended  communication  with  the  dead. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        13! 

TURE,  anything  made  by  art. —  MANUMIS'SION,  giving  lib- 
erty to  slaves.60 — MAN'USCRIPT,  a  writing. —  MAN'ACLES, 
shackles;  handcuffs. —  MANIP'ULATE,  to  handle. — AMAN- 
UEN'SIS  (L),  a  person  employed  to  write  what  another 
dictates. —  EMANCIPATE,  to  set  at  liberty. —  MAINTAIN'," 
to  support. —  MAN'AGE,  to  conduct. —  MANOzu'vRE,62  a  dex- 
terous movement. 

Ma're,  the  sea. 

MARINE',  belonging  to  the  sea.— MAR'INER,  a  seaman. — 
MAR'ITIME,  bordering  on  the  sea;  relating  to  the  sea;  na- 
val.—  SUBMARINE',  under  the  sea. —  TRANSMARINE^  across 
the  sea. —  ULTRAMARINE',  (L,  ul'tra,  beyond),  across  the 
sea;  a  blue  dye-stuff. 

Mar'tur  (G),  a  witness;  a  martyr. 

MAR'TYR,  one  who  is  put  to  death  for  adherence  to  any  cause. 
—  MAR'TYRDOM,  the  death  of  a  martyr. —  PRO'TO-MARTYR, 
the  first  martyr. 

Ma'ter,  a  mother. 

MATER'NAL,  pertaining  to  a  mother. —  MAT'RIMONY,  mar- 
riage.—  MA'TRON,  a  married  woman ;  an  elderly  woman. 

Mathe'ma  (G),  knowledge;  that  which  is  learned. 
MATHEMATICS,  the  science  of  quantity. —  POLYM'ATHY,  vari- 
ous knowledge. —  CHRESTOM'ATHY  (G,  easily  used),  a  se- 
ries of  easy  lessons. 

Matu'rus,  ripe. 

MATURE',  ripe ;  well  digested. —  MATU'RITY,  ripeness ;  comple- 
tion.—  IMMATURE',  unripe. —  PREMATURE',  ripe  too  soon; 
too  hasty. 

Mechan'ein  (G),  to  contrive  or  invent. 
MECH'ANISM,  the  construction  of  a  machine,  engine,  or  in- 
strument.—  MECHAN'ICS,    the    science    which    treats    of 
forces,  the  laws  of  motion,  etc. 

Me'deor,  to  cure. 

MED'ICINE,  any  substance  used  in  curing  disease. —  MED'ICAL, 
relating  to  medicine. —  REME'DIAL,  intended  for  a  remedy. 

60  Literally,  sending  away  from  under  the  hand. 
81  From  the  French  word  maintenir. 

62  Derived,  through  the  French,  from  manus  and  opera  or  opus, 
and  therefore  signifying,  literally,  a  work  of  the  hand. 


132        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

—  REM'EDY,  a  cure ;  reparation. —  REME'DIABLE,  curable. — 
IRREME'DIABLE,  incurable. 

Me'dius,  middle. 
ME'DIUM  (L),  the  middle  point;  that  which  comes  between. 

—  ME'DIATE,  v.  to  interpose  between  parties ;  to  effect  a 
reconciliation. —  ME'DIATE,    a.    middle;    intervening. —  IM- 
ME'DIATE,  instant ;  direct ;  acting  without  any  intervening 
cause. —  MEDIOC'RITY,  middle  state,  rate,  or  degree ;  mod- 
erate degree. 

Mel,  honey. 
MELLIF'EROUS,  producing  honey   (as,  melliferous  plants). — 

—  MELLIFLUOUS,  sweetly  flowing;  smooth. 

Me'lior,  better. 
AMELIORATE,  to  make  better. —  MELIORATION,  improvement. 

Me'los  (G),  a  song. 

MEL'ODY,  an  agreeable  succession  of  sounds. —  MELO'DIOUS, 
musical;  agreeable  to  the  ear. 

Mem'ini,  to  remember. 

MEM'ORY,  the  faculty  by  which  we  remember. —  MEMORAN'- 
DUM  (L),  a  note  to  help  the  memory. —  MEM'OIR  (Fr, 
memoire),  a  short  account. —  MEMEN'TO,  that  which  re- 
minds.—  MEMO'RIAL,  a  monument ;  a  petition. —  MEN'TION, 
to  speak  of. —  COMMEM'ORATE,  to  preserve  in  memory  by 
some  public  act. —  IMMEMORIAL,  beyond  memory. —  REM- 
INIS'CENCE,  recollection. —  REMEM'BER,  to  bear  in  mind. 

Mens  (men'tis),  the  mind. 

MENT'AL,  pertaining  to  the  mind. —  DEMENTA'TION,  making 
frantic. 

Mer'gere  (me /sum},  to  dip;  to  sink. 

MERGE,  to  sink,  or  cause  to  be  swallowed  up. —  EMERGE',  to 
rise  out  of. —  EMER'GENCY,  pressing  necessity.63  —  IMMER'- 
SION,  the  act  of  putting  anything  below  the  surface  of  a 
fluid. —  SUBMER'SION,  the  state  of  being  wholly  covered  by 
a  fluid. 

Merx  (me/cis),  merchandise. 
COM'MERCE,  traffic,  exchange. —  MERCHANDISE,  things  bought 

63  The  word  is  derived  from  the  idea  of  an  event  suddenly 
coming  upon  one,  as  if  something  had  arisen  unexpectedly  from 
the  water. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM   LATIN   AND   GREEK        133 

and  sold. —  MERCANTILE,  pertaining  to  the  business  of  a 
merchant. —  MER'CENARY,  serving  for  pay. 

Meteo'ros  (G),  floating  in  the  air. 

ME'TEOR,  a  shooting  star. —  METEOROL'OGY,  that  science  which 
treats  of  the  atmosphere  and  its  phenomena. 

Me'tior  (men'sus),  to  measure. 

METE,  to  measure. —  MEAS'URE,  that  by  which  anything  is 
reckoned. —  MENSURA'TION,  the  art  of  measuring. —  COM- 
MEN'SURATE,  of  equal  measure. —  DIMEN'SION,  the  extent 
of  a  body. —  ADMEASUREMENT,  the  act  or  result  of  meas- 
uring according  to  rule. —  IMMEASURABLE,  that  cannot  be 
measured. —  IMMENSE',  immeasurably  great. —  IMMENS'ITY, 
unlimited  extent;  vastness. 

Mefron  (G),  a  measure. 

ME'TRE,  arrangement  of  poetic  feet. —  METRICAL,  pertain- 
ing to  metre. —  DiAM'ETER,64  measure  through  anything. — 
SYM'METRY,  due  proportion  of  parts. —  THERMOM'ETER,  an 
instrument  for  measuring  heat. 

Mi'grare  (migra'tum),  to  remove;  to  depart  from  a  place  of 
residence. 

MIGRA'TION,  departure  to  a  distant  place  of  residence. —  Mi'- 
GRATORY,  roving ;  unsettled. —  EM'IGRATE,  to  remove  from  a 
place. —  EM'IGRANT,  one  who  removes. —  IMMIGRATION, 
the  coming  of  foreigners  into  a  country. —  IM'MIGRANT, 
one  who  comes  into  a  new  country  to  reside. —  TRANS- 
MIGRA'TION,  a  passing  from  one  state  to  another. 

Mik'ros  (G),  small. 

MI'CROCOSM,  a  little  world  (man  is  often  so  called). —  Mi'- 
CROSCOPE,  a  glass  for  viewing  minute  objects. 

Mi'les  (mil'itis),  a  soldier. 

MILI'TIA,  enrolled  soldiers. —  MIL'ITARY,  pertaining  to  sol- 
diery.—  MIL'ITANT,  fighting,  contending. —  MIL'ITATE,  to 
act  against. 

Mil'le,  a  thousand. 

MILLENNIUM,  a  thousand  years. —  MIL'LEPED,  an  insect  hav- 
ing many  feet. 

84  The  suffixes  meter  and  metry,  in  such  words  as  barometer, 
geometry,  etc.,  are  derived  from  metron.  Many  words  having 
these  suffixes  will  be  found  in  this  book,  and  a  reference  to  this 
paragraph  usually  accompanies  them. 


134  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

Min'ere,  to  hang  over. 
IM'MINENT,  impending;  at  hand. — PROM'INENT,  standing  put. 

—  EM'INENT,  high;  distinguished. —  EM'INENCE,  elevation. 

Minister,  a  servant  or  attendant. 

MIN'ISTER,  one  who  is  appointed  to  transact  business  of  state 
under  the  direction  of  the  chief  executive;  a  clergyman.65 

—  ADMINISTER,  to  perform  duties  in  an  official  station. — 
ADMINISTRATOR,  one  who  takes  charge  of  the  property  of 
a  person  dying  without  a  will. —  ADMINISTRATION,  man- 
agement; actual  government. 

Mi'nor,  less. 

MI'NOR,  a.  smaller ;  n.  one  not  of  age. —  MINUTE',  a.  small. — 
MIN'UTE,  n.  a  portion  of  time. —  MIN'IMUM  (L),  the  least 
quantity  possible  in  the  case. —  MIN'ION,  a  mean,  low  de- 
pendant.—  MIN'UEND,  the  number  to  be  diminished. —  Mi'- 
NUS  (L),  a  mathematical  term  signifying  subtraction. — 
DIMIN'ISH,  to  make  less. —  DIMIN'UTIVE,  little. 

Mi'rus,  strange;  wonderful. 

MIR'ACLE,  a  supernatural  event. —  MIRACULOUS,  performed 
supernaturally. —  ADMIRE',  to  regard  with  wonder  or  high 
esteem. —  AD'MIRABLE,  of  wonderful  excellence. 

Mis' cere  (mix*  turn},  to  mix. 

Mix,  to  mingle. —  MIX'TURE,  a  compound  formed  by  min- 
gling.—  MIS'CELLANY,  a  collection  of  various  things. —  AD- 
MIX'TURE,  the  substance  which  is  mixed  with  another. — 
INTERMIX',  to  mingle  together. —  PROMIS'CUOUS,  mingled 
indiscriminately. 

Mi'ser,  wretched. 

MIS'ERY,  wretchedness,  distress. —  MI'SER,  one  who  makes 
himself  miserable  by  his  niggardliness. —  MI'SERLY,  very 
covetous. —  MIS'ERABLE,  unhappy. —  COMMIS'ERATE,  to  pity; 
to  compassionate. 

Mi' sos  (G),  hatred. 

MISAN'THROPY,  hatred  of  mankind. —  MISOG'AMIST,  a  hater 
of  marriage. 

Mi'tis,  meek;  mild. 

MIT'IGATE,  to  assuage;  to  render  more  mild. —  UNMIT'IGATED, 
unassuaged;  not  softened  in  severity. 

65  So  called  from  his  being  appointed  to  serve  the  church  in 
the  sacerdotal  office. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        13$ 

Miftere  (mis' sum),  to  send. 

MIS'SION,  the  state  of  being  sent  by  authority. —  MISSIONARY, 
one  sent  to  propagate  religion. —  MIS'SILE,  something 
thrown  by  the  hand. —  ADMIT',  to  let  in;  to  allow. —  ADMIS'- 
SION,  ADMITTANCE,  permission  to  enter. —  COMMIT',  to 
intrust;  to  perpetrate. —  COMMIS'SION,  a  trust;  au- 
thority given;  the  act  of  committing. —  COM'MISSARY,  a 
kind  of  military  commissioner. —  COMMIT'TEE,  one  or  more 
persons  to  whom  a  matter  is  referred  by  a  legislative  body 
or  a  society.—  DEMISE',  departure  from  life. —  DISMISS',  to 
send  away. —  EM'ISSARY,  one  sent  out  as  a  secret  agent. — 
EMIT',  to  send  forth. —  MANUMIS'SION,  sending  away  from 
bondage. —  OMIT',  to  leave  out. —  PERMIS'SION,  leave 
granted. —  REMISS',  slack;  negligent. —  REMIT7,  to  relax; 
to  forgive. —  SUBMISSIVE,  humble;  yielding. —  SUBMIT',  to 
yield  to  authority. —  TRANSMIT',  to  send  over;  to  suffer  to 
pass  through;  to  deliver  to  posterity. 

Mne'me  (G),  memory. 

MNEMONICS,  the  art  of  memory. —  AM'NESTY  (G),  an  act 
of  oblivion;  a  general  pardon. 

Mo'dus,  a  manner. 

MODE,  manner. —  MOOD,  temper  of  mind. —  MOD'EL,  a  copy  to 
be  imitated. —  MOD'IFY,  to  change  the  form  or  character  of 
a  thing. —  MOD'ULATE,  to  vary  the  pitch  of  sounds. —  MOD'- 
ERATE,  observing  proper  bounds ;  not  excessive. —  MOD'EST, 
restrained  by  a  sense  of  propriety. —  COMMO'DIOUS,  con- 
venient.— ACCOM'MODATE,  to  supply  with  conveniences. — 
INCOMMODE',  to  trouble. —  MODERA'TOR  (L),  a  presiding 
officer. 

Mo'lior  (moli'tus},  to  rear  or  build. 

DEMOL'ISH,  to  throw  down. —  DEMOL'ISHMENT,  ruin;  destruc- 
tion.—  DEMOLITION,  the  act  of  demolishing. 

Mol'lis,  soft. 

MOL'LIFY,  to  soften;  to  assuage. —  EMOL'LIENT,  fitted  to 
soften  or  assuage. 

Mon'ere  (mon'itum),  to  put  in  mind;  to  warn. 
MON'ITOR    (L),   one  who  warns   of  duty. —  MON'UMENT,  a 
memorial. —  ADMON'ISH,  to  remind  of  a  fault. —  PREMON'- 
ITORY,  giving  warning  beforehand. —  SUMMON  (L,  submo'- 
neo),  to  call  by  authority. 


136        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Mon'os  (G),  sole;  only. 

MON'AD,  an  indivisible  thing. —  MONK  (G),  a  religious  re- 
cluse.—  MON'ACHISM,  the  condition  of  monks;  a  monastic 
life. —  MON'ASTERY,  a  house  of  religious  retirement. — 
MONAS'TIC,  pertaining  to  the  life  of  a  monk. —  MON'ARCH, 
a  sole  ruler;  a  king. —  MON'OGRAM,  a  character  combining 
several  letters. —  MONOPOLIZE,  to  become  the  only  dealer 
in  any  commodity;  to  engross  the  whole. —  MONOSYL'- 
LABLE,66  a  word  of  one  syllable. —  MONOT'ONY,  sameness  of 
sound;  want  of  variety. 

Mons  (mon'tis),  a  mountain. 

MOUNT,  a  hill. —  MOUN'TAIN,  a  large  hill. —  MOUND,  a  heap 
or  bank  of  earth. —  AMOUNT',  the  sum. —  DISMOUNT',  to 
alight  from  a  horse. —  PAR'AMOUNT,  superior;  chief. — 
SURMOUNT',  to  rise  above. 

Monstrcfre  (monstra'tum),  to  point  out;  to  show. 

MON'STER,   something  deformed   or   horrible. —  MON'STROUS, 

unnatural;  huge. —  DEMONSTRATE,  to  prove  rigorously. — 

DEMONSTRATIVE,  proving  by  irresistible  argument ;  pointing 

out. —  REMON'STRATE,  to  show  reasons  against  any  measure. 

Mo/bus,  disease. 

MOR'BID,  diseased;  not  sound  or  healthful. —  CHOLERA- 
MOR'BUS,  the  name  of  a  disease. 

Mord'ere  (mo^sum),  to  bite. 

MOR'SEL,  a  piece  bitten  off. —  REMORSE',  sense  of  guilt. — 
REMORSE'LESS,  unpitying ;  cruel. —  REMORSE'LESSLY,  with- 
out remorse. 

Mo/phe  (G),  form;  shape. 

AMORPH'OUS,  of  irregular  shape. —  METAMORPH'OSE  to  trans- 
form. 

Mors  (mo/tis),  death. 

MOR'TAL,  subject  to  death;  deadly. —  MORTALITY,  death;  hu- 
man nature. —  IMMOR'TAL,  exempt  from  death. —  IMMOR'- 
TALIZE,  to  render  immortal. —  MOR'TIFY,  to  lose  vitality ; 
to  abase. —  MORTIFICA'TION,  vexation ;  loss  of  vitality. 

Mos  (mo'ris),  custom;  practice. 
MOR'AL,  relating  to  the  practice  or  conduct  of  men;  con- 

66  The  prefix  mono  or  man,  which  is  found  in  a  number  of 
words,  is  from  monos. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        137 

formed  to  law  and  rectitude. —  MOR'ALIST,  one  who 
teaches  the  duties  of  life. —  MORAL'ITY,  correctness  of  life. 
— JMMOR'AL,  not  virtuous. —  DEMORALIZE,  to  render  cor- 
rupt in  morals. 

Mo'vere  (mo' turn),  to  move. 

MOVE,  to  put  out  of  one  place  into  another. —  MOVE'MENT, 
change  of  place. —  MOV'ABLES,  goods ;  furniture. —  MOBII/- 
ITY,  capacity  of  being  moved. —  MOB,  a  disorderly  multi- 
tude.—  MO'TIVE,  moving  power ;  inducement. —  MO'TION, 
the  act  of  moving. —  COMMO'TION,  tumult;  disturbance. — 
EMO'TION,  disturbance  of  mind. —  PROMOTE',  to  advance; 
to  exalt. —  REMOVE',  to  put  from  its  place. —  REMOTE',  at  a 
distance. 

Mul'tus,  much. 

MUL'TIFORM,  having  many  forms. —  MUL'TIPLE,  a  number 
which  exactly  contains  another  several  times. —  MUL'- 
TIPLY,  to  increase  in  numbers. —  MULTIPLICAND',  the  num- 
ber to  be  multiplied. —  MUL'TITUDE,  a  great  number. 

Mun'dus,  the  earth;  the  world. 

MUN'DANE,  belonging  to  the  world;  earthly. —  EXTRAMUN'- 
DANE,  beyond  the  material  world. 

Muni' re,  to  fortify. 

AMMUNITION,  MUNI'TION,  materials  used  in  war. —  Mu'- 
NIMENT,  a  stronghold;  a  fortress;  support;  defence. 

Mu'nus  (mu'neris'),  an  office;  a  gift. 

MUNIC'IPAL,  pertaining  to  a  corporation. —  MUNIF'ICENCE, 
liberality. —  COMMUNE'  (L,  con},  to  converse  together. — 
COMMU'NICATE,  to  impart. —  COMMU'NICATIVE,  liberal  in 
imparting  knowledge. —  COMMU'NITY,  common  possession 
or  enjoyment;  society. —  COMMUN'ION,  fellowship;  inter- 
course.—  COM'MON,  shared  by  all;  general.67  —  EXCOM- 
MU'NICATE,  to  cut  off  from  church  membership. —  IMMU'- 
NITY,  exemption  from  duty. —  REMUNERATION,  recom- 
pense. 

Mu'rus,  a  wall. 

MU'RAL,  pertaining  to  a  wall.68 — IMMURE',  to  enclose  within 
walls;  to  imprison. 

67  A  common  inheritance  is  one  which  all  the  inheritors  own 
and  enjoy  alike.    A  characteristic  is  said  to  be  common  to  our 
race,  which  every  human  being  possesses. 

68  Among  the  ancient  Romans,  a  golden  crown  was  bestowed 


138        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Mu'sa,  a  Muse. 

MUSE,  n.  a  heathen  deity  presiding  over  poetry,  etc. — MUSE, 
v.  to  ponder. —  AMUSE',  to  divert. —  MUSE'UM  (L),  a  re- 
pository of  curiosities. —  Mu'sic,  melody  or  harmony. — 
MUSIC'IAN,  one  skilled  in  music. 

Mu'thos  (G),  a  fable. 

MYTH'IC,  fabulous. —  MYTHOL'OGY,  the  system  of  fables  re- 
specting heathen  deities. 

Muta're  (muta'tum),  to  change. 
MU'TABLE,  changeable. —  MU'TUAL,  reciprocal;  interchanged. 

—  COMMUTE',   to   exchange. —  IM MU'TABLE,   unchangeable. 

—  TRANSMUTE',  to  change  to  a  different  nature. 

Na/ke  (G),  numbness;  stupor. 
NARCO'SIS,  stupefaction. —  NARCOT'IC,  causing  stupor. 

Mas' cor  (na'tus),  to  be  born. 

NA'TAL,  relating  to  one's  birth. —  NA'TIVE,  conferred  by 
birth ;  original. —  NATIV'ITY,  birth. —  NA'TION,  a  distinct 
people. —  NA'TURE,  original  quality ;  the  established  course 
of  things  in  creation ;  the  visible  creation. —  NAT'URALIST, 
a  student  of  nature. —  NAT'URAL,  produced  by  nature;  un- 
affected.—  INNATE',  born  with  us;  constitutional. — 
PRETERNAT'URAL,  extraordinary,  but  not  miraculous. — 
SUPERNAT'URAL,  above  nature. 

Na'tare,  to  swim. 

NATA'TION,  the  act  of  swimming. —  SUPERNA'TANT,  floating 
above. 

Naus  (G),  a  ship. 

NAU'SEA,  properly,  seasickness;  disposition  to  vomit. — 
NAU'SEOUS,  sickening ;  disgusting ;  loathsome. —  NAUT'- 
ICAL,  pertaining  to  navigation. —  NAU'TILUS,  a  shell-fish 
that  sails. 

Nafvis,  a  ship  or  vessel. 

NA'VY,  a  national  establishment  of  war  vessels. —  NA'VAL,  re- 
lating to  vessels. —  NAVIGATION,  travelling  by  ships. — 
NAV'IGABLE,  passable  by  ships. —  NAU'TICAL  (L,  nau'ta,  a 
sailor),  pertaining  to  seamen  or  navigation. —  CIRCUM- 
NA/IGATE,  to  sail  around. 

on  him  who  first  mounted  the  wall  of  a  besieged  place ;  this  was 
called  coro'na  tnura'lis,  a  mural  crown. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        139 

Nec'tere  (nerfuvn),  to  tie  or  bind. 

CONNECT',  to  tie  or  join  together. —  CONNECTION,  a  joining; 
relation. —  DISCONNECT',  to  sever. —  ANNEX',  to  unite  at 
the  end. 

Nega're  (negtftum),  to  deny. 

NEGA'TION,  denial. —  NEG'ATIVE,  implying  denial. — DENY7 
(F,  denier;  L,  de'nego),  to  contradict;  to  refuse. 

Nego'tium,™  business. 

NEGO'TIATE,  to  transact  business. —  NEGO'TIABLE,  that  may  be 
transferred  in  business. 

Ne'os  (G),  new. 

NEOL'OGY,  a  new  system  of  doctrines. —  NE'OPHYTE  (G,  a 
plant  or  shoot),  a  novice. 

Ne'sos  (G),  an  island. 
PELOPONNE'SUS,  the  island  of  Pelops,  now  called  the  More'a. 

—  POLYNE'SIA,   a   part   of   the   Pacific   Ocean   containing 
many  islands. 

Neu'ron  (G),  a  cord;  a  nerve. 

NEUROL'OGY,  a  description  of  the  nerves  (a  department  of 
anatomy). —  NEURAL'GIA,  a  diseased  state  of  the  nerves. 

—  ENER'VATE,  to  weaken. 

Neu'ter,  neither  of  the  two. 

NEU'TER,  of  neither  gender. —  NEU'TRAL,  not  engaged  on 
either  side. —  NEUTRALIZE,  to  render  neutral ;  to  destroy 
the  peculiar  properties. 

Ni'hil,  nothing. 

NIHIL'ITY,  nothingness. —  ANNIHILATION,  reducing  to  noth- 
ingness or  non-existence. 

No' cere,  to  hurt;  to  harm. 

Nox'ious,  hurtful. —  INNOX'IOUS,  harmless. —  IN'NOCENT,  not 
chargeable  with  mischief. —  IN'NOCENCE,  simplicity,  purity. 

—  NUI'SANCE,  that  which  does  injury. 

No'mos  (G),  a  law  or  rule. 

ANOM'ALY,  a  deviation  from  the  general  course  or  law. — 
ANTINO'MIAN,  against  law;  undervaluing  good  works. — 
DEUTERON'OMY  (G,  second),  the  second  book  of  the  law. 

88  Compounded  of  nee,  not,  and  o'tium,  leisure,  ease. 


I4O  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

No/ma,  rule. 

NOR'MAL,  according  to  a  rule  or  precept;  elementary. — 
ENOR'MOUS,  beyond  the  usual  measure;  huge;  excessive. 

—  ENOR'MITY,  a  wrong  or  irregular  act;  atrociousness. — 
ENOR'MOUSLY,  excessively;  beyond  measure. 

N  os*  cere  (no'/ww),  to  know.  No'men,  a  name. 
NOTE,  a  mark;  a  hint. —  NOTA'TION  (L,  no'ta,  a  mark),  mode 
of  marking. —  NO'TED,  NOTO'RIOUS,  well  known ;  remark- 
able.—  NO'TION,  idea;  opinion. —  ANNOTA'TION,  a  com- 
ment.—  COG'NIZANCE,  notice ;  perception. —  DENOTE',  to 
point  out. —  REC'OGNIZE,  to  remember  a  thing  as  one 
previously  known. —  NOM'INAL,  in  name  only. —  No'- 
MENCLATURE  (L,  ca'lo,  to  call),  a  system  of  names; 
the  terms  or  words  of  an  art  or  science. —  NOM'- 
INATE,  to  name  for  appointment. —  NAME,  the  term 
by  which  we  distinguish  things. —  NOUN,  a  part  of  speech 

—  PRO'NOUN,  a  word  used  instead  of  a  noun. —  DENOM- 
INA'TION,  a  class  of  things  or  persons  called  by  the  same 
name. —  IG'NOMINY,    disgrace,    dishonor. —  MISNO'MER,    a 
misnaming. 

No' sos  (G),  disease. 

NOSOI/OGY,  the  description  of  diseases. —  NOSOL'OGIST,  one 
who  classifies  and  describes  diseases. 

No'vus,  new. 

NOV'EL,  a.  new ;  n.  a  tale. —  NOV'ELIST,  a  writer  of  novels. — 
NOV'ELTY,  newness. —  NOV'ICE,  one  new  in  the  business. — 
IN'NOVATE,  to  introduce  something  new. —  REN'OVATE,  to 
renew. 

Nox  (noc'tis),  night. 

NOCTUR'NAL,  nightly. —  E'QUINOX  (see  ^QUUS). —  EQUI- 
NOC'-TIAL,  pertaining  to  the  equinox. 

Nu'bere  (nup'tum),  to  marry. 

CONNU'BIAL,  pertaining  to  marriage. —  NUP'TIALS,  marriage 
ceremonies. 

Nu'dus,  naked. 
NI/DITY,  nakedness. —  DE'NUDE,  to  make  bare  or  naked. 

Nul'lus,  no  one. 

NUL'LIFY,  to  render  of  no  force. —  NUI/LITY,  nothingness. — 
ANNUL',  to  make  void. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        14! 

Nu'merus,  a  number. 

NUM'BER,  multitude ;  more  than  one  thing. —  NU'MEROUS, 
containing  many. —  NUMERATION,  the  art  of  numbering. 

—  NUMERICAL,  pertaining  to  numbers. —  ENU'MERATE,  to 
reckon    up     singly. —  INNUMERABLE,     too    many    to     be 
counted. —  SUPERNUMERARY,  a  person  or  thing  beyond  the 
usual  number. 

Nuncia're,  to  announce. 

ANNOUNCE',  to  proclaim;  to  give  notice. —  DENOUNCE',  to 
declare  against. —  ENUN'CIATE,  to  declare ;  to  proclaim ;  to 
utter. —  NUN'CIO,  an  ambassador  from  a  pope. —  PRONUN- 
CIA'TION,  mode  of  utterance. —  RENOUNCE',  to  disown;  to 
reject. 

Oc'culus,  the  eye. 

OC/ULAR,  perceived  by  the  eye. —  OC'ULIST,  one  skilled  in 
diseases  of  the  eye;  an  eye-doctor. —  INOC'ULATE,  to  trans- 
fer an  eye  or  bud  of  a  tree  to  another  stock. 

O'de  (G),  an  ode;  a  song. 
ODE,  a*  short  poem  or  song. —  MEL'ODY,  sweetness  of  sound. 

—  PAL'INODE   (G,  back  again),  a  recantation. —  PAR'ODY, 
a  humorous  imitation  of  any  piece  of  verse  or  prose. — 
PROS'ODY,   the    study   of   versification. —  PSAI/MODY,™   the 
singing    of    sacred    songs. —  RHAP'SODY,    an    unconnected 
effusion. 

O'di,  to  hate. 

O'DIOUS,  hateful;  causing  hatred. —  O'DIUM,  dislike;  offen- 
siveness. 

O'dos  (G),  a  road  or  way. 
Ex'oDus,71  a  departure. —  MExn'oo,72  arrangement;  manner. 

—  PE'RIOD,   a  circuit. —  SY'NOD,   an   ecclesiastical  conven- 
tion. 

Od'ous  (G),  a  tooth. 

ODONTAL'GIA  or  ODONTAL'GY,  toothache. —  ODONTAL'GIC,  per- 
taining to  toothache. 

For  the  suffix  oid,  see  Idas. 

70  The   Greek  word  phallein   signifies   to   play   on  a  stringed 
instrument. 

71  Particularly,  the  departure  of  the  Israelites  from  Egypt. 

72  Signifying  the  following  of  a  way  or  mode. 


142  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

Oi'kos  (G),  a  house. 

Di'ocESE,73  the  jurisdiction  of  a  bishop. —  ECON'OMY,  a  sys- 
tem of  management ;  frugality. —  PAR'ISH,  an  ecclesiastical 
district. —  PARO'CHIAL,  pertaining  to  a  parish. 

Ol'igos  (G),  few;  small. 

OLIGARCHY,  a  government  in  which  a  few  persons  hold  the 
supreme  power. 

O'lere,  to  emit  odor. 

OLFAC'TORY,  pertaining  to  the  sense  of  smelling. —  RED'- 
OLENT,  diffusing  a  sweet  scent. 

Qm'nis,  every;  all. 

OMNIPOTENT,  having  all  power. —  OMNIPRES'ENT,  every- 
where present. —  OMNIS'CIENT,  having  infinite  knowl- 
edge.—  OMNI'BUS  (L),  for  all. 

On'oma  (G),  a  name. 

ANON'YMOUS,  without  name. —  METON'YMY,  a  change  of 
names. —  PARON'YMOUS,  resembling  another  word. — 
SYNON'YMOUS,  conveying  the  same  idea. —  SYN'ONYM,  a 
word  conveying  the  same  idea  as  another. 

O'nus  (on'eris),  a  burden. 
EXON'ERATE,  to  disburden. —  ON'EROUS,  burdensome. 

Opi'nor,  to  be  of  opinion ;  to  think. 

OPINE',  to  think. —  OPIN'ION,  belief;  judgment. —  OPIN'- 
IONATED,  obstinate  in  opinion. 

Op'tere  (opta'tum),  to  wish. 

OP'TION,  the  power  of  choosing;  choice;  preference. — 
ADOPT^  to  assume;  to  choose  or  take  to  one's  self. 

Op'tomai  (G),  to  see. 

OP'TICS,  the  science  of  light  and  vision. —  OP'TICAL,  pertain- 
ing to  sight. —  OPHTHAI/MIA  (G,  the  eye),  a  disease  of 
the  eyes. —  SYNOP'SIS,  a  general  view. 

Opus  (op'eris),  a  work. 

OP'ERATE,  to  act ;  to  produce  effects. —  COOPERATE,  to  labor 
jointly  with  others. —  COOPER A'TION,  joint  effort;  aid. — 
INOP'ERATIVE,  inefficient. —  OP'ERATIVE,  active. —  OP'ER- 

73  From  dioikesis,  which  signifies,  primarily,  the  management 
of  a  household. 


WORDS   DERIVED    FROM    LATIN    AND    GREEK         143 

ATOR,  one  who  operates. —  OP'ERA  (L),  a  work;  a  dramatic 
composition  set  to  music;  a  musical  drama. 

Orafma  (G),  a  sight;  a  spectacle. 

DIORA'MA  (G,  through),  an  optical  machine. —  PANORA'MA, 
a  complete  or  entire  view. 

O/bis,  a  circle;  a  circular  body. 
ORB,  a  spherical  body. —  OR'BIT,  the  circular  path  of  a  planet. 

—  ORBICULAR,     circular. —  EXORBITANT,™*    extravagant ; 
excessive. 

O/do  (o/rfinw),  order. 
OR'DER,  regularity. —  OR'DINANCE,  a  public  command  or  law. 

—  OR'DINARY,    in    the    usual    order    or    manner. —  INOR'- 
DINATE,    excessive. —  EXTRAORDINARY,    beyond    the    usual 
course. —  SUBORDINATE,    in   a   lower   rank. —  SUBORDINA'- 
TION,  subjection. 

O'rior,  to  rise  or  spring  from. 

O'RIENT,  rising,  as  the  sun;  eastern. —  OR'IGIN,  beginning; 
source. —  ORIENT' AL,  eastern ;  belonging  to  the  east. — 
ORIG'INATE,  to  bring  into  existence. —  ORIG'INAL,  primi- 
tive, first;  having  new  ideas. 

O/nis  (G),  a  bird. 

ORNITHOL'OGY,  the  science  of  bird-study. —  ORNITH'OLITE,  a 
petrified  bird. 

Orna're  (orna'tum),  to  embellish. 

OR'NAMENT,  an  embellishment. —  OR'NATE,  decorated;  beau- 
tiful.—  ADORN',  to  beautify. 

Ora're  (ora'fMm),  to  pray;  to  ask. 

ORA'TION,  a  formal  speech. —  OR' ATOR,  a  public  speaker. — 
OR'ATORY,  eloquence. —  OR'ISON,  a  prayer. —  OR'ACLE,  a 
place  where  heathen  deities  or  priests  were  consulted. — 
O'RAL  (L,  os  (o'rir),  the  mouth),  pertaining  to  speech. — 
PERORA'TiON,74  the  conclusion  of  an  oration. 

O/thos  (G),  erect;  right. 
OR'THODOX,  correct  in  opinion  or  belief. —  OR'THOEPY,  cor- 

73a  Literally,  departing  from  an  orbit  or  a  usual  track. 

excessive. 

74 Literally,  the  going  over  of  an  oration;  the  peroration  reca- 
pitulates the  main  points,  and  presents  the  argument  in  a  small 
compass. 


144  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

rect  pronunciation. —  OR'THOEPIST,  one  skilled  in  pronun- 
ciation.—  ORTHOG'RAPHY,  correct  spelling. 

Os  (os'sis),  a  bone. 
OS'SIFY,  to  change  into  a  bony  substance. —  OS'SEOUS,  bony. 

Os'teon  (G),  a  bone. 

OSTEOL'OGY,  that  part  of  anatomy  which  treats  of  the  bones. 
—  PERIOS'TEUM,  a  vascular  membrane  investing  the  bones 
of  animals. 

O'vum,  an  egg. 
O'VAL,  egg-shaped. —  OVIP'AROUS,  producing  eggs. 

Ox^us  (G),  sharp;  acid. 

OXAL'IC  (G,  sorrel),  pertaining  to  sorrel. —  OX'YGEN,  the 
gas  which  generates  acids. —  OX'YD,  a  substance  combined 
with  oxygen. —  PAR'OXYSM,  an  exacerbation  or  tem- 
porarily increased  violence  of  disease. 


CHAPTER  IV 

WORDS  DERIVED  FROM  THE  LATIN  AND  THE 
GREEK  (CONCLUDED) 

Pa'gus,  a  village. 

PA'CAN,™  a  heathen;  an  idolater. —  PA'GANISM,  the  worship 
of  false  gods. 

Paidei'a  (G76),  education. 

PED'AGOGUE,  a  teacher  of  children. —  PED'ANT,  one  who  makes 
vain  display  of  learning. —  PEDANT'IC,  ostentatious  of 
learning. —  CYCLOPE'DIA,  ENCYCLOPEDIA,  see  124. 

Pan  (G),  every;  all. 

PANACE'A,  a  universal  medicine. —  PANEGYR'IC,  a  public 
eulogy. —  PAN'OPLY,  complete  armor. —  PAN'THEISM,  the 
doctrine  that  the  universe  is  God. —  PANTHE'ON,  a  temple 
dedicated  to  all  the  gods. —  PAN'TOMIME,  an  imitation  of 
all  kinds  of  action,  etc.,  without  speaking. —  PAN'TOGRAPH, 
a  copying  instrument. 

Pan' do  (pan'sum),  to  lay  open. 

EXPAND',  to  open;  to  spread. —  EXPAN'SION,  the  act  of  ex- 
panding; enlargement. —  EXPANSE',  a  wide  extent. 

Pan'gere  (pac'tum),  to  drive  in;  to  fix. 
COMPACT',  close;  dense;  firmly  united. —  COM'PACT,  an  agree- 
ment.—  COMPACT'LY,  closely. —  COM'PACTED,  closely  united; 
joined  together. 

Pal'lium,  a  cloak. 

PALL,  a  covering  for  the  head. —  PAL'LIATE,  to  cloak ;  to 
cover  with  excuse ;  to  extenuate ;  to  mitigate. —  PALLIA'- 

75  When  the  Roman  Emperor  Constantine  and  his  successors 
forbade  the  worship  of  the  heathen  deities  in  the  cities,  their  ad- 
herents retired  to  the  villages,  where  they  could  practise  their 
rites  unmolested.     Hence  they  obtained  the  appellation  paga'ni, 
pagans.    The  word  is  now  applied  to  all  nations  that  are  not 
Christian,  Jewish,  or  Mohammedan. 

76  From  pais,  paidos,  a  child. 

145 


146  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN    GOOD   FORM 

TION,  mitigation. —  PAL'LIATIVE,  tending  to  mitigate  or  re- 
lieve. 

Par,  equal;  like. 

PAIR,  two  things  like  each  other ;  a  couple. —  PAR'ITY,  equal- 
ity; resemblance. —  DISPAR'ITY,  inequality. —  COMPARE',  to 
examine  things  with  reference  to  their  likeness  or  unlike- 
ness. —  DISPAR'AGE,  to  cause  disgrace. —  DISPAR'AGEMENT, 
an  undervaluing ;  detraction. —  PEER,  an  equal,  a  nobleman. 

—  PEER'LESS,  unequalled ;  matchless. —  PEER'AGE,  the  rank 
of  a  peer. 

Pare' re  (pa/itum),  to  be  present. 

APPA'RENT,  visible;  evident. —  APPEAR',  to  become  visible;  to 
seem. —  APPARI'TION,  a  spectre,  a  ghost. —  DISAPPEAR',  to 
vanish;  to  withdraw. —  TRANSPARENT,  capable  of  being 
seen  through. 

Pari're  (pa/turn},  to  bring  forth. 

PA'RENT,  a  father  or  mother ;  that  which  produces. —  PAREN'- 
TAL,  relating  to  parents;  tender. —  PA'RENTAGE,  birth; 
descent. —  PAREN'TALLY,  in  a  parental  manner;  affection- 
ately. 

Pa'rere  (para' turn),  to  prepare. 

APPARA'TUS,  furniture  or  utensils  prepared  for  a  particular 
business. —  PREPARE',  to  make  ready. —  REPAIR',  to  mend. 

—  REPARATION,  making  good  what  was  injured  or  lost. — 
IMPAIR",  to  injure. —  SEP'ARATE,  to  disunite,  to  part. 

Pars  (pa/tis),  a  part. 

PART,  a  share. —  PAR'TICLE,  a  little  part. —  PARTICULAR,  hav- 
ing reference  to  individual  things ;  attentive  to  minute  mat- 
ters.—  PARTICIPATE,  to  have  part  or  share. —  PARTITION, 
division. —  PAR'TY,  a  set  of  persons  engaged  in  one  design. 

—  PAR'TISAN,  one  devoted  to  the  interests  of  a  party. — 
POR'TION,  a  part;  a  share. —  PAR'TIAL,  inclined  to  favor 
one  party  or  side. —  PART'NER,  a  sharer. —  PAR'CEL,  a  num- 
ber of  things  taken  together ;  a  small  package. —  APART"- 
MENT,  a  room  or  separate  enclosure. —  COMPART'MENT,  a 
portion  of  any  surface  marked  off. —  IMPART',  to  communi- 
cate; to  give  a  share. —  IMPAR'TIAL,  not  partial. 

Pasfcere  (pas'tum),  to  feed. 

PAS'TOR  (L,  pastor,  a  shepherd),  a  minister  of  the  gospel 
having  the  care  of  a  congregation. —  REPAST",  a  meal. — 
PAS'TORAL,  relating  to  shepherds;  rural;  relating  to  a  pas- 


WORDS    DERIVED    FROM    LATIN    AND    GREEK         147 

tor.  —  PAS'TURE,    a   field   or   ground   where   animals   may 
graze. 

Pa'ter  (pa'tris),  a  father. 

PATER'NAL,  pertaining  to  a  father.  —  PAT'RIMONY,  an  in- 
herited estate.  —  PA'TRIOT  (L,  pa'tria,  one's  country),  a 
lover  of  his  country.  —  PA'TRIARCH  (G),  the  father  and 
ruler  of  a  family;  applied  particularly  to  the  heads  of 
families  in  the  early  history  of  the  human  race,  and  es- 
pecially to  the  ancestors  of  the  people  of  Israel.  —  PA'- 
TRON,  a  protector;  one  who  affords  support.  —  PA'TRONAGE, 
special  support.  —  PATRIC'IAN,  a  Roman  nobleman.  —  Ex- 
PA'TRIATE,  to  banish  from  one's  country.  —  JU'PITER,  the 
father  and  the  king  of  the  heathen  gods.  —  PA'TER-NOS'TER 
(L,  nos'ter,  our),  the  Lord's  Prayer. 

Pa'thos  (G),  suffering;  affection;  emotion. 
ANTIP'ATHY,      aversion.  —  AP'ATHY,     want     of     feeling.  — 
PATHET'IC,  exciting  emotion.  —  PATHOL'OGY,  the  science  of 
diseases.  —  SYM'PATHY,  fellow-feeling. 

Pa'tior  (pas'sus),  to  suffer;  to  endure. 
PA'TIENCE,  endurance.  —  PA'TIENT,  a.  enduring  without  com- 
plaint. —  PA'TIENT,  n.  a  sick  person.  —  IMPA'TIENT,  unable 
to  bear  pain.  —  PAS'SIVE,  suffering;  unresisting.  —  PAS'- 
SION,  emotion  ;  the  suffering  of  Jesus  on  the  cross.  —  PAS'- 
SIONATE,  influenced  by  passion.  —  COMPASSION,  pity  ;  sym- 
pathy. —  COM  PAS'S  10  NATE,  to  pity  ;  to  have  compassion  for. 
—  DISPAS'SIONATE,  calm. 

Pax  (pa'cis),  peace. 

PEACE,  quiet;  rest.  —  PAC'IFIC,  peacemaking;  gentle.  —  PAC'- 
IFY,  APPEASE',  to  quiet.  —  PACIFICA'TION,  an  appeasing. 

Pecca're  (pecca'tum),  to  err;  to  sin.77 
PECCANCY,  a  bad  quality;  an  offence.  —  PECCADII/LO  (Sp),  a 
slight  transgression  or  offence. 

Pecftus  (pec'toris},  the  breast. 

PECTORAL,  pertaining  to  the  breast.  —  EXPECTORATE,  to  dis- 
charge from  the  trachea  or  the  lungs. 

Ptfcus,  a  herd  or  flock;  cattle. 
PECULATE,78  to  steal  or  embezzle  public  property.  —  PECUL'- 


'vi,  is  the  perfect  of  the  same  verb,  and  signifies  —  / 
have  sinned. 
78  In  early  times,  herds  and  flocks  constituted  the  sole  wealth  ; 


148  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

IAR,79  belonging  to;  appropriate;  special. —  PECUNIARY,80 
relating  to  money. 

Pel'lere  (pul'sum),  to  drive. 

PULSE,  the  throbbing  of  the  arteries. —  PULSA'TION,  a  beating 
or  throbbing. —  COMPEL',  to  force ;  to  constrain. —  COM- 
PUL'SION,  act  of  compelling;  force. —  DISPEL',  to  drive 
away. —  EXPEL',  to  drive  out. —  IMPEL',  to  urge  forward ; 
to  excite  to  any  action. —  PROPEL',  to  drive  onward. —  RE- 
PEL', to  drive  back. 

Pen'dere,  to  hand;  (pen'sum),  to  weigh;  to  pay  out. 
PEN'DENT,  hanging. —  PEN'DULUM  (L),  a  vibrating  body  sus- 
pended from  a  fixed  point. —  PEN'SION,  a  stated  allowance. 

—  APPEND',   to   hang  to  another  thing;   to   annex. —  AP- 
PEND'IX,  something  added  at  the  end. —  COMPENDIUM,  an 
abridgment. —  DEPEND',  to  hang  from ;  to  trust  to. —  DIS- 
PENSE', to  distribute;  to  dispense  with,  to  do  without. — 
EXPEND',  to  lay  out. —  EXPENSE',  cost;  charges. —  IMPEND', 
to  hang  over. —  PEND'ING,  remaining  undecided. —  PERPEN- 
DIC'ULAR,    directly   downward. —  PEN'DENT,    hanging,    pro- 
jecting.—  STI'PEND,  (L,  stips,  a  piece  of  money),  wages; 
stated  pay. —  SUSPEND',  to  hang;  to  delay. —  SUSPENSION, 
a  hanging;  an  interruption. 

Pefne,  almost. 
PENIN'SULA,  a  portion  of  land  almost  surrounded  by  water. 

—  PENIN'SULAR,  relating  to  a  peninsula. 

Pa/na,  punishment. 

PE'NAL,  enacting  punishment. —  PEN'ALTY,  suffering  or  loss 
in  consequence  of  crime. —  PEN'ANCE,  suffering  volun- 
tarily endured  for  the  sake  of  obtaining  pardon. —  PEN'- 
ITENCE  (L,  pcentfeo,  to  repent),  repentance. —  PENITEN'- 
TIARY,  a  prison. —  IMPEN'ITENT,  not  contrite. —  REPENT7,  to 
feel  sorrow  or  regret  for  what  one  has  done. —  SUB- 
pozNA,81  a  writ  commanding  one  to  appear  in  court. 

and  hence  words  derived  from  pe'cus,  etc.,  came  to  represent 
property  in  general. 

79  Pecul'ium,  in  Latin,  signifies  a  treasure  or  stock  of  money 
laid  up  by  an  individual ;  every  portion  of  this  stock  would  there- 
fore be  peculia'ris,  peculiar,  i.  e.,  his  own. 

80  Money  was  first  coined  at  Rome  under  the  reign  of  Servius 
Tullius ;  and  the  figure  stamped  upon  the  coin  was  that  of  the  ox. 
Hence,  money  came  to  be  called  pecun'ia  in  the  Latin  language. 

81  The  word  signifies  under  penalty;  i.  e.,  penalty  to  be  suffered 
if  the  command  is  disobeyed. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        149 

Pen'itus,  inwardly;  deeply. 

PEN'ETRATE,  to  pierce;  to  enter. —  IMPENETRABLE,  that  can- 
not be  pierced. 

Perina,  a  feather;  a  wing. 
PEN,  a  writing  instrument. —  PEN'NATE,  winged. 

Pen'te  (G),  five. 

PEN'TAGON,  a  figure  having  five  angles. —  PEN'TATEUCH  (a 
book),  the  five  books  of  Moses. 

Pep'tere  (G),  to  boil;  to  concoct. 

DYSPEP'SIA,  difficulty  of  digestion. —  PEP'TIC,  promoting  di- 
gestion. 

Perso'na,  the  mask  worn  by  players.82 

PER'SON,  an  individual  human  being. —  PER'SONATE,  to  rep- 
resent by  action  or  appearance. —  PERSON'IFY,  to  represent 
an  inanimate  thing  as  having  intelligence. —  PERSONALLY, 
in  person. 

Pes  (pe'dis),  a  foot. 

PED'AL,  a  key  designed  to  be  moved  by  the  foot. —  PED'ESTAL, 
the  base  on  which  a  pillar  or  statue  is  placed. —  PEDES'- 
TRIAN,  going  on  foot. —  BI'PED,  a  two-footed  animal. — 
QUAD'RUPED,  a  four-footed  animal. —  PED'LER,  a  travelling 
foot  trader. —  PED'DLE,  to  travel  as  a  pedler. —  PED'IGREE, 
genealogy. —  EXPEDITION,  haste;  an  enterprise  on  which 
one  undertakes  a  journey. —  EXPE'DIENT,  tending  to  pro- 
mote the  object;  advisable. —  IMPEDE',  to  hinder;  to  ob- 
struct.—  EXPEDITE,  to  hasten. 

Pet'alon   (G),  a  leaf. 

PE'TAL,  a  flower-leaf. —  PET'ALED,  having  petals. —  MONO- 
PET'ALOUS,  having  only  one  petal. 

Pe'tere  (peti'tum),  to  seek. 

PET'ULANT,  peevish;  fretful  in  respect  to  what  is  wished  for 
from  others. —  AP'PETITE,  hunger ;  longing. —  CENTRIP'ETAL, 
tending  towards  the  centre. —  COMPETE',  to  rival. —  COM'- 
PETENCE,  a  sufficiency. —  IMPET'UOUS,  headstrong;  forci- 
ble.—  IM'PETUS  (L),  force  of  motion. —  REPEAT',  to  try 
again ;  to  recite. —  REPETITION,  the  act  of  doing  or  utter- 
ing a  second  time. 

82  Perso'na  also  signifies  character,  person. 


I5O  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

Peira'ein  (G),  to  try. 

EMPIR'ICAL,  derived  from  experiment. —  EM'PIRIC,  one  who 
makes  experiments;  a  quack. 

PStra  (G),  a  rock. 
PET'RIFY,  to  convert  into  stone. —  PETRO'LEUM,  rock  oil. 

Pha'gein  (G),  to  eat. 

ESOPH'AGUS,  or  QEsopH'Acus,83  the  gullet. —  SARCOPH'- 
Acus,84  a  stone  coffin. 

Phai'nein  (G),  to  appear;  to  show. 

DIAPH'ANOUS,  transparent. —  EM'pHASis,85  special  stress 
upon  some  word  or  sentence. —  EpiPH'ANY,86  manifesta- 
tion.—  PHAN'TASM,  PHAN'TOM,  a  fancied  appearance. — 
PHASE,  or  PHA'SIS  (pi.  PHASES),  an  appearance,  as  of 
the  moon. —  PHENOMENON  (pi.  PHENOM'ENA),  an  ap- 
pearance; a  change;  an  event. 

Pha/makon  (G),  a  drug;  a  medicine. 
PHAR'MACY,    the    art    of    preparing    medicine. —  PHARMA- 
CEUT'IC,  pertaining  to  the  art   of   pharmacy. —  PHARMA- 
COPCE'IA    (G,  to  make),  a  dispensatory;  a  book  describing 
the  preparation  of  the  several  kinds  of  medicine. 

Phe'mi  (G),  to  say  or  tell. 

BLASPHEME',  to  speak  impiously. —  PROPH'ESY,  to  foretell. — 
PROPH'ET  (G),  one  who  foretells. —  PROPHET'IC,  contain- 
ing prophecy. 

Phe'rein  (G),  to  bear  or  carry. 

DIAPHORETIC,"  causing  perspiration. —  MEx'APHOR,88  a 
short  similitude. —  PERIPHERY,89  circumference. —  PHOS'- 
PHORUS,00  a  luminous  substance. 

88  Compounded  of  ois  (oiss),  to  carry,  and  phigo,  and  signify- 
ing, literally,  that  which  carries  or  conducts  the  food  to  the 
stomach. 

84  The  word  is  derived  from  the  name  of  a  calcareous  stone 
anciently  used  by  the  Greeks    (lithos  sarkophagos) ,  which  rapidly 
decomposed  bodies  deposited  in  it. 

85  Literally,  the  making  anything  distinct  or  manifest. 
8aThe  manifestation  of  Christ  to  the  Gentiles. 

8T Literally,  carrying  through;  i.  e.,  causing  moisture  to  pass 
through  the  pores  of  the  skin. 

88  From  metaphero,  which  signifies  to  transfer. 

89  The  words  periphery  and  circumference  are  formed  of  cor- 
responding words  in  the  Latin  and  Greek.    The  former  has  a 
more  limited  signification  than  the  latter. 

90  Compounded  of  phos,  light,  and  phers,  and  signifying,  liter- 
ally, light-bearing. 


WORDS  DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK 

Phi'los  (G),  a  friend  or  lover. 

PHILADELPHIA,91  the  name  of  a  city. —  PHILAN'THROPY, 
love  for  mankind. —  PHILOL'OGIST,  a  student  of  language. 
—  PHILOSOPHY,92  the  study  of  general  laws. 

Pho'ne  (G),  a  sound. 

PHONOL'OGY,  the  science  which  treats  of  the  sounds  uttered 
in  human  speech. —  EUPHON'IC,  agreeable  in  sound. — 
SYM'PHONY,  properly,  a  harmony  of  sounds;  an  instru- 
mental passage  in  music*  designed  to  relieve  the  vocalist. 

Phos  (G),  light. 

PHOSPHORES'CENCE,  faint  luminousness. —  PHOS'PHATE,  a 
chemical  salt. —  PHOTOM'ETER,  an  instrument  for  measur- 
ing the  intensity  of  light. 

Phra'zein  (G),  to  say  or  relate. 

PHRASE,  an  expression  or  short  sentence. —  PER'IPHRASE 
(G,  around),  circumlocution. —  PAR'APHRASE,  a  differently 
worded  expression  of  the  meaning  of  an  author. —  PERI- 
PHRAS'TIC,  circumlocutory. 

Phren  (G),  the  mind. 

PHRENOL'OGY,  the  science  of  the  mind  as  connected  with  the 
brain. —  FREN'SY,  madness;  delirium. —  FRAN'TIC  or  FRE- 
NET'IC,  violently  delirious. 

Phu'sis  (G),  nature. 

PHYs'ics,83  the  study  or  science  of  nature. —  PHYS'ICAL,  per- 
taining to  nature. —  PHYSIOL'OGY,  the  science  of  the  prop- 
erties and  functions  of  animals  and  plants. 

Pila're,  to  pillage;  to  rob. 

COMPILE',  to  select  and  put  together. —  PIL'LAGE,  to  plunder ; 
to  rob. 

Pin' g ere  (pic' turn),  to  paint. 

PICT'URE,  a  painting;  a  representation. —  PICTURESQUE',  like 
a  picture. —  PIG'MENT,  paint;  color. —  DEPICT',  to  paint; 
to  describe. 

Pia're  (pia'tum),  to  appease  by  sacrifice. 
EX'PIATE,  to  atone  for. —  EXPIA'TION,  atonement. —  EX'PIA- 
TORY,  having  power  to  atone. 

51  Literally,  brotherly  love. 

92  Literally,  love  of  wisdom. 

93  Metaphysics  signifies,  literally,  after  or  next  to  physics.    It 
is  the  science  that  treats  of  the  relations  between  abstract  ideas. 


152  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

Pisfcis,  a  fish. 
PIS'CATORY,  relating  to  fishes. —  PIS'CINE,  of  the  fish  kind. 

Placfere,  to  please. 

PLAC'ID,  quiet;  mild. —  COMPLA'CENCE,  satisfaction. —  IM- 
PLA'CABLE  (L,  pla'co,  to  appease),  not  to  be  appeased. — 
PLEAS'URE  (F,  plaisir),  satisfaction;  enjoyment. —  COM'- 
PLAISANCE,  civility. —  DISPLEASE',  to  offend. 

Pla'ne  (G),  a  wandering. 

PLAN'ET,  a  wandering  or  moving  star. —  PLAN'ETARY,  per- 
taining to  the  planets. 

Plan'ta,  a  plant. 

PLANT,  a  vegetable. —  PLANTA'TION,  a  place  planted. — 
PLAN'TAIN,  an  herb;  a  tree. —  IMPLANT',  to  set;  to  insert. 

—  SUPPLANT^  to  displace  by  taking  the  place  of  the  per- 
son ejected. —  TRANSPLANT',  to  remove  and  plant  in  an- 
other place. 

Pla'nus,  even;  level;  evident. 
PLANE,  to  make  smooth. —  PLAIN,  a  level  region;  manifest. 

—  EXPLAIN',  to  make  plain  or  intelligible. 

Plas'sein  (G),  to  mould  or  shape. 
PLAS'TIC,  giving  shape. —  CATAPLASM,"*  a  poultice. 

Plau'dere  (plau'sum),  to  clap;  to  applaud. 
PLAUD'IT,  applause. —  PLAUS'IBLE,  right  in  appearance. — 
APPLAUD',  to  join  in  applause. —  APPLAUSE',  expression  of 
approbation  by  clapping  the  hands,  etc. —  EXPLODE',  to 
drive  out  in  disgrace;  to  burst  with  a  loud  report. —  Ex- 
PLO'SION,  violent  bursting. —  EXPLO'SIVE,  liable  to  cause 
explosion. 

Plebs  (ple'bis),  the  common  people. 

PLEBE'IAN,  o.  pertaining  to  the  common  people. —  PLEBE'- 
IAN,  n.  one  of  the  common  people. 

Ple'nus,  full. 

PLE'NARY,  full;  complete. —  PLENIPOTENTIARY,  invested 
with  full  powers. —  PLEN'ITUDE,  fulness. —  PLEN'TEOUS, 
abundant. —  PLE'ONASM,  a  redundancy  of  words. — 

9*  The  word  plasso  signifies,  primarily,  to  smear  with  any  soft 
mixture,  as  wet  clay. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        153 

PLEN"TY,  abundance ;  exuberance. —  COMPLETE',  full ;  per- 
fect.—  COMPLEMENT,  full  quantity. —  DEPLE'TION,  an  emp- 
tying.—  REPLENISH,  to  fill  again. —  REFLETS',  filled. — 
SUPPLY",  to  fill  up;  to  furnish. —  SUPPLEMENT,  an  addi- 
tion to  supply  defects. 

Pli'cere  ( plica' turn") ,  to  fold.  Plecfto  (plenum),  to  twine  or 

weave. 

ACCOMPLICE,  one  united  with  another  in  a  plot. —  APPLY', 
to  put  one  thing  to  another. —  COMPLICATED,  entangled ; 
interwoven  with  other  things. —  COMPLY",  to  yield. —  DIS- 
PLAY", to  unfold;  to  show;  to  exhibit. —  DUPLIC"ITY, 
doubleness  of  heart  or  speech. —  DU'PLICATE,  a  second 
thing  of  the  sort. —  EXPLICIT,  plain;  clear. —  INEX'PLIC- 
ABLE,  that  cannot  be  explained  or  interpreted. —  IM'PLI- 
CATE,  to  involve;  to  show  a  connection. —  MULTIPLICA"- 
TION,  increase;  repeated  addition  of  a  quantity  to  itself. — 
PERPLEX",  to  entangle;  to  involve. 

Plora're  (plora'tum},  to  cry;  to  bewail. 
DEPLORE',  to  regret ;  to  bewail. —  DEPLOR'ABLE,  lamentable. — 
EXPLORE",  to  search;  to  examine. —  IMPLORE",  to  call  upon; 
to  beseech. 

Plum' bum,  lead. 

PLUMB,  PLUM"MET,  a  leaden  weight  at  the  end  of  a  line. — 
PLUMB,  o.  perpendicularly. —  PLUMB'ER,  one  who  works 
with  lead. —  PLUMBA"GO,  black  lead;  graphite. 

Plus  (plu'ris),  more. 

PLU'RAL,  more  than  one. —  PLURALITY,95  greater  number. — 
SUR'PLUS,  what  remains  beyond  the  necessary  quantity. — 
NoN'pLUS,96  to  bring  to  a  stand. 

Pne'ein  (G),  to  blow;  to  breathe:  Pneu'tna  (G),  a  breath; 

a  blast. 

DYSPNOE'A,  difficulty  of  breathing. —  PNEUMAT'IC,  pertain- 
ing to  air. —  PNEUMAT'ICS,  the  science  which  treats  of  the 
air. —  PNEUMON'IC,  pertaining  to  the  lungs. 

Pol'emos  (G),  war. 
POLEM'IC,  a.  controversial. —  POLEM"IC,  n.  a  disputant. 

95  A  candidate  is  said  to  have  a  plurality  of  votes,  when  he  has 
more  than  any  other  single  candidate. 

96  Literally,  no  more. 


154        GO°D  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Po'lein  (G),  to  sell. 
BIBLIOP'OLIST,   a  book-seller. —  MONOP'OLY,   exclusive  sale. 

Po'lis  (G),  a  city. 

METROPOLIS  (G,  a  mother),  the  chief  city. —  POLICE',  the 
government  of  a  city  or  town. —  Poi/iTY,97  civil  constitu- 
tion.—  POL'ITIC,  prudent;  sagacious. —  Poi/mcs,  the  sci- 
ence of  government. 

Po'lus  (G),  much;  many. 

PoLYANTH'os,98  a  plant  which  produces  many  flowers. — 
POL'YPUS,  an  insect  having  many  feet. —  POI/YGON,  a  figure 
having  many  angles. —  POL'YTHEISM,  the  doctrine  of  a 
plurality  of  gods. 

Poli're  (poli'tum),  to  polish. 

POL'ISH,  to  smooth;  to  brighten. —  POLITE',  elegant  in  man- 
ners; well-bred. 

Po'tnum,  an  apple. 

POM'ACE,  the  substance  of  apples  or  of  similar  fruit  crushed 
by  grinding. —  POM'MEL,  a  knob  or  ball. 

Pon'dus  (pon'deris),  a  weight. 

POUND,  a  weight. —  PON'DEROUS,  heavy. —  PON'DER,  to  weigh 
mentally. —  PREPONDERATE,  to  outweigh. —  I  M  PON'DER  ABLE, 
not  having  perceptible  weight. 

Po'nere  (pos'itum),  to  put  or  place. 

POSI'TION,  place ;  situation. —  POS'ITIVE,  distinctly  laid  down. 
—  POST,  station. —  POS'TURE,  situation ;  attitude. —  POST- 
PONE', to  put  off ;  to  delay. —  AP'POSITE,  proper ;  fit. —  COM- 
PO'NENT,  forming  part  of  a  composition. —  COMPOSE',  to 
put  together. —  COMPOS'ITOR,  a  setter  of  types. —  DECOM- 
POSE', to  separate  into  the  constituent  parts. —  DEPOSI'- 
TION,  that  which  is  laid  or  thrown  down;  written  testi- 
mony.—  DEPOSE',  to  put  down. —  DISCOMPOSE',  to  disorder ; 
to  disturb. —  DISPOSE',  to  place  in  order. —  EXPOSE',  to  lay 
open. —  EXPOS'ITOR,  an  explainer. —  IMPOSE',  to  put  upon; 
to  cheat. —  IM'POST,  a  tax  laid  on  imported  merchandise. — 

97  Pol'icy   is   sometimes   used   to   denote   a   certain   course  of 
political  measures. 

98  The  signification  of  the  prefix  poly  will  be  seen  from  the 
foregoing  examples,  and  it  is  therefore  unnecessary  to  adduce 
more. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        155 

INTERPOSE',  to  put  between. —  OPPOSE',  to  resist. —  OP'PO- 
SITE,  situated  in  front  or  over  against. —  PREPOSI'TION,  a 
part  of  speech ;  a  word  placed  before  another. —  PROPOSE',  • 
to  offer  for  consideration. —  PUR'POSE,  intention;  design. — 
REPOSE',  to  rest ;  to  rely. —  SUPPOSE',  to  imagine  or  state 
something  possible. —  TRANSPOSE',  to  put  each  of  two 
things  into  the  place  of  the  other. 

Pop'ulus,  the  people;  Pub'lico,  to  publish. 
PEO'PLE,  persons;  a  nation. —  POPULA'TION,  the  whole  num- 
ber of  people  in  a  country  or  district. —  POP'ULACE,  the 
common  people. —  POP'ULAR,  suitable  to  people  in  general. 
—  POP'ULOUS,  full  of  people. —  DEPOP'ULATE,  to  deprive 
of  inhabitants. —  PUB'LIC,  general;  national. —  PUBLICITY, 
general  notoriety. —  PUB'LISH,  to  make  known ;  to  send 
out  to  the  public. —  PUBLICATION,  a  publishing;  a  book. 

Po/ta,  a  gate. 

POR'TAL,  a  gate ;  an  entrance. —  POR'TICO,  a  covered  walk ; 
an  entrance. —  POR'TER,  a  doorkeeper. —  PORT'-HOLE,  a 
gun-hole  in  a  ship's  side. —  PORT,  a  harbor;  a  place  where 
vessels  may  enter. 

Porta're,  to  carry. 

POR'TER,  a  carrier. —  PORT'ABLE,  easily  carried. —  COMPORT', 
to  agree ;  to  suit. —  DEPORT'MENT,  conduct. —  EXPORT',  to 
send  abroad. —  IMPORT',  to  bring  into  a  country. —  IM- 
PORT'ANT,  weighty ;  momentous. —  PORTFO'LIO,  a  case  for 
carrying  loose  papers. —  PORT'LY,  corpulent. —  REPORT', 
rumor;  an  account. —  SUPPORT',  to  bear  up;  to  prop. — 
TRANSPORT',  to  carry  from  place  to  place. 

Possum  (pot'ui),  to  be  able. 

POS'SIBLE,  that  can  be  done. —  PO'TENT,  powerful. —  IM'PO- 
TENT,  powerless. —  PO'TENTATE,  one  having  kingly  power. 
—  POTEN'TIAL,  relating  to  power. 

Posfterus,  following;  coming  after. 

POSTE'RIOR,  later;  coming  after. —  POSTERITY,  succeeding 
generations. —  POS'TERN,  primarily,  a  back  door  or  gate; 
hence,  any  small  door  or  gate. —  PREPOS'TEROUS,"  absurd. 

Posftulare  (postulaftum),  to  demand. 
EXPOSTULATE,  to  reason  earnestly  with  a  view  to  dissuade. 

88  Literally,  having  that  first  which  ought  to  be  last ;  inverted  in 
order. 


156  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

—  EXPOSTULATION,   a  discussion  without   anger;   remon- 
strance. 

Pot'armos  (G),  a  river. 
Po'tere  (potaftum  or  po'tum),  to  drink. 
PO'TION,    a    draught;    a   dose. —  POTA'TION,    a    drinking;    a 
draught. 

Pous  (G),  a  foot. 

AN'TIPODE,  one  who  lives  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  globe, 
and  whose  feet  are  directly  opposite  to  ours. 

Pras'so   (G),  to  do;  Prak'tos  (G),  done;  Pragma   (G),  a 

deed. 
PRAC'TICE,  frequent  performance. —  PRAC'TICABLE,  that  may 

be    done. —  PRAGMAT'ICAL,    officious;    meddling. —  PRAX'IS, 

a  form  to  teach  practice. 

Preca'ri  (preca'tus),  to  entreat. 

DEP'RECATE,  to  pray  for  deliverance  from  any  evil;  to  dread 
or  regret. —  IM'PRECATE,  to  invoke  calamity  to  rest  upon 
any  one. —  PRECA'RIOUS,IO°  uncertain;  not  sure  to  be  re- 
tained. 

Prrfda,  prey;  booty. 

PREY,  plunder. —  PRED'ATORY,  plundering. —  DEPREDA'TION,  a 
robbing;  a  spoiling. —  DEP'REDATOR,  a  robber. 

Prehen'dere  (prehen'sum),  to  seize. 

APPREHEND',  to  lay  hold  on;  to  suspect  with  fear. —  AP- 
PRISE', to  inform,  to  give  notice. —  COMPREHEND',  to  in- 
clude.—  EN'TERPRISE,  that  which  is  undertaken. —  INCOM- 
PREHEN'SIBLE,  not  to  be  understood. —  PRIS'ON  (F),  a 
place  of  confinement. —  PRIZE,  that  which  is  taken  in  con- 
test.—  REPRI'SAL,  seizure  of  property  in  war. —  REPRE- 
HEND', to  blame ;  to  chide. —  SURPRISE',  astonishment  at 
something  unexpected. 

Pre'mere  (presfsuvn),  to  press. 
PRESS,  to  squeeze;  to  urge. —  IMPRESS',  to  imprint;  to  stamp. 

—  IMPRES'SION,  a  print ;  a  mark  made  by  pressure. —  COM- 
PRESS', to  force  together. —  DEPRESS',  to  bear  down. —  EX- 
PRESS', to  squeeze  out ;  to  declare. —  OPPRESSION,  cruelty ; 
severity. —  PRINT  (Fr,  imprimer},  to  stamp  with  letters  or 

100  Original  signification,  asked  for,  and  therefore  dependent  on 
the  will  of  another. 


WORDS    DERIVED   FROM    LATIN    AND   GREEK         157 

figures. —  REPRESS',  to  force  back. — SUPPRESS',  to  subdue; 
to  conceal. 

Pre'tium,  price,  reward. 

PRICE,  value;  rate;  reward. —  PRE'CIOUS,  valuable;  costly. — 
APPRE'CIATE,  to  estimate  justly. —  DEPRE'CIATE,  to  under- 
value. 

Pri'mus,  first. 

PRIME,  to  put  on  the  first  coat  in  painting. —  PRIM'ER,  a 
child's  first  reading-book. —  PRIME'VAL,  original ;  ancient. 
PRINCE  (L,  prin'ceps},  a  sovereign  or  his- kinsman. —  PRI'- 
MARY,  first;  original. —  PREM'IER  (F),  the  first  minister 
of  state. —  PRIM,  nice;  formal. —  PRIM'ROSE  (L,  rosa,  a 
rose),  a  rose  that  opens  very  early  in  the  spring. —  PRIN'- 
CIPLE,  element;  original  cause;  ground  of  action. —  PRIN'- 
CIPAL,  chief;  capital. —  PRI'OR  (L),  former;  antecedent. — 
PRIOR'ITY,  precedence. —  PRIMOGENITURE,  state  of  being 
first-born. 

Pri'vus,  single;  one's  own. 

PRI'VATE,  secret;  particular. —  PRI'VACY,  secrecy;  retire- 
ment.—  PRIVILEGE,  peculiar  advantage. —  PRIVA'TION,  a 
taking  away;  absence  of  what  is  necessary  for  comfort. — 
PRIV'Y,  secret ;  sharing  in  a  secret. —  PRIV'ILY,  in  a  secret 
manner. —  PRIVATEER',  a  vessel  fitted  out  by  private  owners, 
to  plunder  the  vessels  of  a  hostile  nation. —  DEPRIVE',  to 
take  away  from. 

Proba're  (proba'tum),  to  approve;  to  try.    Pro'bus,  honest. 

PROB'ITY,  honesty ;  integrity. —  PROBE,  to  search  into. —  PROB'- 
ABLE,  likely. —  PROBA'TION,  trial. —  PROVE,  to  try ;  to  test. — 
APPROVE',  to  like;  to  be  pleased  with. —  APPROBATION,  the 
act  of  approving. —  DISPROVE',  to  confute. —  IMPROVED,  to 
make  better. —  REPROVE',  to  blame ;  to  censure. —  REP'RO- 
BATE,  lost  to  virtue. 

Pro'pe,  near.    ProSimus,  nearest;  next. 
PROPIN'QUITY    (L,    pro  pin' quit  as),    nearness. —  PROX'IMATE, 
nearest;    next. —  PROXIM'ITY,    immediate    nearness. —  AP- 
PROX'IMATE,  APPROACH'   (F,  approcher*),  to  come  near. — 
REPROACH'  (F,  reprocher),  to  censure. 

Pro'prins,  belonging  to;  peculiar. 

APPROPRIATE,  v.  to  take  for  one's  own  use. —  APPROPRIATE, 
a.  suitable,  fit. —  PROP'ER,  fit;  suitable:  also,  belonging  to; 
peculiar. —  PROP'ERTY,  that  which  belongs  to  a  person  or 


158  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

thing. —  PROPRIETOR,  an  owner  of  property. —  PROPRIETY, 
suitableness :  also,  ownership. 

Pro'tos  (G),  first. 

PROTOCOL,*  a  record  or  registry. —  PRpxHON'oxARY,2  a  reg- 
ister or  clerk. —  PRO'XOXYPE,  an  original  or  model. —  PRO- 
XOX'YD,  the  first  oxyd. 

Psu'che  (G),  the  soul. 

MEXEMPSYCHO'SIS,  the  transmigration  of  souls. —  PSYCHOL'- 
OGY,  a  discourse  on  the  human  soul. 

Pu'er,  a  boy. 
PU'ERILE,  boyish. —  PUERIL'IXY,  boyishness. 

Pug'nus,  the  fist. 

PUGNA'CIOUS  (L,  pug'na,  a  battle),  quarrelsome;  disposed  to 
fight. —  PU'GILISX,  a  fighter  with  the  fists. —  IMPUGN',  to 
attack;  to  reproach. —  REPUG'NANX,  adverse;  antagonistic. 

Pul'vis  (pul'veris),  dust. 

PUL'VERIZE,  to  reduce  to  powder. —  PULVERIZATION,  the  act 
of  pulverizing. 

Pun'gere  (punc'tutn),  to  sting. 

PUN'GENX,  stinging;  acute. — PUNCX'URE,  a  hole  pierced. — 
PUNCXUA'XION  (L,  puncftwn,  a  point  or  dot),  the  art  of 
pointing  written  language. —  PUNCXII/IOUS,  exact  in  be-i 
havior. —  PUNCXUAI/IXY,  scrupulous  exactness  in  regard  to 
time. —  COMPUNC/XION,  the  sting  of  conscience. 

Puny  re  (puni'tutn) ,  to  punish. 

PUN'ISH,  to  inflict  pain  for  evil  conduct. —  PU'NIXIVE, 
awarding  or  inflicting  punishment. —  IMPU'NIXY,  freedom 
from  punishment;  freedom  or  exemption  from  evil  conse- 
quences. 

Pur   (G),  fire. 
EMPYR'EAL,  formed  of  pure  fire  or  light. —  PYROLIG'NEOUS,* 

1  Compounded  of  protos  and  kolla,  glue.    The  word  was  origi- 
nally used  to  denote  the  upper  part  of  a  leaf  or  writing,  and  was 
probably  derived  from  the  practice  of  gluing  or  pasting  pieces  of 
paper  or  parchment  together,  as  in  forming  a  long  sheet  for  an 
extended  document;  the  protocol  was,  therefore,  the  first  of  the 
pasted  sheets. 

2  Literally,  the  chief  register  or  clerk. 

3  Lat.  lig'num,  wood ;  pyroligneous,  produced  by  wood  and  fire. 


WORDS   DERIVED    FROM    LATIN    AND   GREEK        159 

produced    from    smoke. —  PYRE,    a    funeral    pile. —  PYRO- 
TECH'NICS,  the  art  of  making  fire-works. 

Puta're  (puta'tum),  to  think. 

ACCOUNT'  (F,  comptc),  a  reckoning;  a  narrative. —  AM'PU- 
TATE,  to  cut  off.4 —  COMPUTE',  to  count  or  reckon. —  COUNT, 
to  enumerate. —  DEPUTE',  to  send  as  a  substitute. —  DEP'- 
UTY,  one  appointed  to  act  for  another. —  DISPUTE',  to  con- 
tend in  argument. —  IMPUTE',  to  set  to  the  account  of;  to 
ascribe. —  REPUTA'TION,  character;  public  estimation. 

Qua'lis,  such  as;  of  what  kind. 

QUAL'ITY,  character;  nature;  degree  of  excellence. —  QUAL'- 
IFY,  to  render  fit. —  QUALIFICATION,  fitness,  modification. 
—  DISQUALIFY,  to  render  unfit. 

Quan'tus,  how  great;  as  great  as. 

QUAN'TITY,  that  property  of  anything  which  may  be  in- 
creased or  diminished. —  QUAN'TUM  SUFFI'CIT  (L),  a  suf- 
ficient quantity  or  amount. 

Qua'tere  (quas'sum),  to  shake. 

QUASH,  to  crush;  to  annul. —  CONCUS'SION,B  a  violent  agita- 
tion; a  shock. —  Discuss',6  to  examine;  to  debate. —  PER- 
CUS'SION,  a  striking;  a  stroke. 

Quat'uor,  four;  Quad'ra,  a  square. 

QUAD'RANT,  a  quarter  of  a  circle;  an  instrument. —  QUAD- 
RAT'IC,  pertaining  to  the  square  or  second  power  of  a  quan- 
tity.—  QUADRAN'GULAR,  having  four  angles. —  QUAD'RATE, 
to  suit;  to  correspond  (followed  by  with}. —  QUADRILAT'- 
ERAL,  four-sided. —  QUAD'RUPED,  a  four-footed  animal. — 
QUAD'RUPLE,  fourfold. —  QUAR'ANTINE,T  the  term  during 
which  a  vessel  suspected  of  infection  is  kept  at  a  distance 
from  the  port  or  city. —  QUART,  the  fourth  part  of  a  gal- 
lon.—  QUART'AN,  coming  every  fourth  day  (as,  a  quartan 
fever). —  QUART'ER,  to  divide  into  four  equal  parts  or 
quarters. —  QUAR'TO  (L),  a  book  in  which  every  sheet 
makes  four  leaves. —  QUAR'TERLY,  occurring  every  quarter. 

*The  primary  signification  of  the  Latin  word  puto  is  to  lop  off 
or  prune;  it  also  signifies  secondarily,  to  adjust  accounts;  to 
reckon. 

6  From  concu'tio,  which  is  compounded  of  con  and  qua'tio. 
8  From  discu'tio,  signifying  to  shake  apart  or  in  pieces. 

7  Literally,  the  space  of  forty  days. 


l6o  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

—  SQUAD'RON,S  a  division  of  a  fleet ;  a  detachment  of  ships 
of  war. —  SQUARE   (F,  quarre),  having  four  equal  sides 
and  four  right  angles. 

Que'ror  (queStus),  to  complain. 

QUAR'REL  (F,  quereller),  to  contend  angrily;  to  find  fault; 
to  cavil. —  QUER'ULOUS,  disposed  to  murmur  or  complain. 

Quafre  (quasi' turn),  to  seek;  to  ask. 

QUEST,  search;  inquiry. —  QUE'RY,  QUES'TION,  an  asking;  a 
doubt. —  ACQUIRE',  to  obtain. —  ACQUISITION,  the  thing  ac- 
quired; the  act  of  acquiring. —  CON'QUER  (F,  conquerir), 
to  subdue;  to  gain  by  force. —  CON'QUEST,  the  act  of  con- 
quering.—  DISQUISI'TION,  a  systematic  examination  of  a 
subject. —  Ex'QUisiTE,9  nice;  excellent. —  INQUIRE',  to  ask 
a  question. —  INQUIS'ITIVE,  apt  to  ask  questions;  curious. 

—  INQUISI'TION,  an  investigation  or  trial. —  PER'QUISITE, 
a  fee ;  an  allowance  beyond  the  stated  wages. —  REQUEST', 
to  solicit;  to  entreat. —  REQUIRE',  to  demand. —  REQ'UISITE, 
required;  necessary. 

Qui'es  (quie'tis),  rest. 

QUIET,  tranquil ;  at  rest. —  QUIES'CENCE,  a  state  of  repose ; 
quietude. —  ACQUIESCE',  to  assent ;  to  rest  satisfied. —  Dis- 
QUI'ET,  to  disturb. —  RE'QUIEM  10  (in  the  Roman  Catholic 
church),  a  hymn  or  mass  sung  for  the  dead,  for  the  repose 
of  the  soul. 

Quin'que,  five. 
QUINTES'SENCE,  the  fifth  essence;  the  essence  highly  refined. 

—  QUINTUPLE,   five-fold. —  QUINTIL'LION,   a  million   four 
times  multiplied  by  a  million. 

Quot,  how  many;  as  many. 

QUOTA  (L),  a  just  part  or  share. —  QUOTID'IAN,  daily  (as, 
a  quotidian  fever). —  QUO'TIENT,  the  number  which  shows 
how  often  the  divisor  is  contained  in  the  dividend. 

Ra'bies,  madness. 
RAB'ID,  mad  (as,  a  dog). —  RAVE,  to  be  delirious  or  furious. 

Ra'dius,  a  rod ;  a  spoke. 
RA'DIUS,  the  semi-diameter  of  a  circle. —  RAY,  a  line  of  light. 

—  RA'DIATE,  to  emit  rays. —  RA'DIANCE,  effulgence. 

8  Primary  signification,  a  square  or  square  form. 

9  Literally,  sought  out  from   among  others ;   whence,  choice ; 
select. 

10  So  called  from  the  first  word  of  the  form  used. 


WORDS    DERIVED    FROM    LATIN    AND   GREEK         l6l 

Rafdix   (rad'icis),  a  root. 

RAD'ICAL,  pertaining  to  the  root;11  deep-seated. —  ERAD'I- 
CATE,  to  root  out. 

Ra'dere  (ra'sum),  to  shave. 

ABRADE',  to  rub  or  wear  off. —  ABRA'SION,  the  act  of  rubbing 
off. —  ERASE',  to  rub  out ;  to  obliterate. —  ERA'SURE,  the  act 
of  erasing. —  RAZE,  to  demolish ;  to  destroy  utterly. —  RA'- 
ZOR,  an  instrument  for  shaving. —  RAZEE',  to  cut  down  or 
reduce  to  a  lower  class  (as,  a  ship). 

Ra'mus,  a  bough  or  branch. 

RAM'IFY,  to  branch  put;  to  be  divided  and  subdivided. — 
RAMIFICA'TION,  division  into  branches. 

Ra'pere  (rap' turn),  to  snatch. 

RAP'INE,  plunder. —  RAPA'CIOUS,  plundering;  greedy. —  RAPT, 
carried  away  by  feeling  or  enthusiasm. —  RAPT'URE,  ec- 
stasy; transport. —  RAPT'UROUS,  ecstatic. —  ENRAPT'URE,  to 
put  into  ecstasy;  to  delight. —  RAP'ID,  swift. —  RAV'AGE,  to 
lay  waste. —  RAV'ISH,  to  bear  away  with  joy  or  transport. 
—  SURREPTI'TIOUS,  done  by  stealth. 

Re'gere  (reef turn),  to  direct;  to  rule.  Recftus,  straight. 
RE'GAL  (L,  rex  (re'gis),  a  king),  kingly. —  CORRECT',  to  make 
right. —  DIRECT',  v.  to  guide;  to  order. —  DIRECT',  a. 
straight ;  not  winding. —  DIRECT'LY,  immediately. —  ERECT', 
upright;  perpendicular. —  INCOR'RIGIBLE,  bad  beyond  cor- 
rection.—  INTERREG'NUM  (L,  recfnum,  a  reign),  the  time 
in  which  a  throne  is  vacant  between  two  reigns. —  REC'- 
TIFY,  to  set  right. —  RE'GENT,  a  governor. —  REC'TOR,  a  di- 
rector; a  pastor. —  RECTILIN'EAR,  consisting  of  right  lines. 
REC'TITUDE,  virtue;  uprightness. —  REG'ICIDE,  the  murderer 
of  a  king. —  REG'IMEN,  a  system  of  regulations ;  a  course 
of  diet. —  REG'ULAR,  agreeable  to  rule. —  REG'ULATE,  to  ad- 
just methodically. —  REIGN,  to  exercise  royal  authority. — 
RIGHT,  fit;  just;  true. 

Re' or  (raftus),  to  think;  to  judge. 

RATE,  v.  to  determine  value  according  to  a  standard. —  RATE, 
n.  mode  of  estimating. —  RAT'IFY,  to  sanction;  to  confirm. 

- "  The  word  radical,  when  used  in  a  political  sense,  denotes  a 
disposition  to  go  to  the  root  in  respect  to  the  constitution  of 
society,  and  to  set  out  anew  with  first  principles,  rejecting  artificial 
arrangements. 


1 62  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

—  RATION  A'LE   (L),  a  series  of  reasons  assigned. —  RA'- 
TIONAL,  agreeable  to  reason. —  IRRA'TIONAL,  not  rational. — 
REAS'ON  (F,  raison),  the  faculty  of  judging,  which  man 
possesses. —  RA'TION,   a  fixed   allowance. 

Re' 'per -e  (rep' turn),  to  creep. 

REP'TILE,  a  creeping  animal. —  RE'PENT,  creeping  (as,  a  rep- 
tile or  a  plant). 

Res,  a  thing. 

RE'AL,  actually  existing. —  REAL'ITY,  actual  existence. —  RE'- 
ALISE,  to  bring  into  actual  existence;  to  consider  as  real. 

Rhein  (G),  to  flow. 

CATARRH',  a  defluxion  of  mucus. —  HEM'ORRHAGE,  a  flow  of 
blood. —  DIARRHE'A,  purging  or  flux. —  RHEU'MATISM,IZ  a 
painful  disease  of  the  limbs  caused  by  uric  acid  in  the 
joints. 

Ride're  (ri'sum),  to  laugh. 

RID'ICULE,  n.  a  laughable  representation. —  RID'ICULE,  v.  to 
make  sport  of. —  RIDIC'ULOUS,  worthy  of  ridicule. —  DE- 
RIDE', to  laugh  at  in  a  contemptuous  manner. —  DERIS'ION, 
contempt. —  RIS'IBLE,  pertaining  to  laughter;  exciting 
laughter. 

Ri'gere,  to  be  stiff,  as  with  cold. 
RIG'ID,  stiff;  strict;  exact. —  RIGID'ITY,  stiffness;  harshness. 

—  RIG'OR,  austerity ;  severity. —  RIG'OROUS,  severe ;  exact. 

Riga' re  (rigaftum),  to  water. 

IR'RIGATE,  to  water,  as  a  garden. —  IRRIG'UOUS,  watered; 
watery. 

Ri'vus,  a  stream. 

RIV'ULET,  a  little  stream. —  RIV'ER,  a  large  stream. —  AR- 
RIVE'," to  come  to  or  reach. —  DERIVE'/*  to  deduce  or 
draw  from  some  source. —  Ri'vAL,15  a  competitor. 

12  So  called  because  the  ancients  supposed  it  to  arise  from  a 
defluxion  of  humors. 

13  Literally,  to  come  to  the  shore  or  bank. 

14  This  word  signifies,  primarily,  to  draw  a  rivulet  from  the  main 
stream  or  reservoir. 

18  Among  the  Romans,  those  whose  lands  were  separated  by  a 
brook  were  called  riva'les;  the  word  rival  seems  to  have  originated 
in  the  idea  of  contention  as  occurring  between  such  proprietors. 


WORDS    DERIVED    FROM    LATIN    AND    GREEK         163 

Ro'bur   (rob'oris),  an  oak;  strength. 

CORROB'ORATE,  to  confirm;  to  make  more  certain. —  CORROB'- 
ORATIVE,  tending  to  confirm. —  ROBUST',  strong;  vigorous. 

Roga're  (roga'tum),  to  ask. 

ABROGATE/"  to  repeal;  to  annul. —  AR'ROGATE,  to  claim. — 
AR'ROGANCE,  claiming  much  for  one's  self;  pride;  con- 
ceitedness. —  AR'ROGANT,  haughty ;  conceited. —  DER'OGATE, 
to  detract;  to  disparage. —  DEROG'ATORY,  tending  to  de- 
tract from  the  estimation  in  which  anything  is  held. —  IN- 
TERROGATION, the  act  of  questioning;  a  question. —  PRE- 
ROG'ATIVE,"  an  exclusive  privilege. —  PROROGUE7,18  to  put 
off;  to  appoint  at  a  future  time. —  SUR'ROGATE,  a  deputy. 

Ro'ta,  a  wheel. 

RO'TARY,  turning,  as  a  wheel  on  its  axis. —  ROTA'TION,  rotary 
motion. —  ROTE,  a  round  of  words;  repetition  of  mere 
words. —  RO'TUND,  round;  spherical. —  ROTUND'ITY,  round- 
ness; sphericity. —  ROTUND'O  (L),  a  round  building. — 
ROUTINE  (F),  a  round  of  business. 

Ru'dis,  unpolished;  uncultivated. 

RUDE,  rough;  coarse;  unfinished. —  ER^UDITE,"  learned. — 
RU'DIMENT,  an  elementary  truth  or  principle. —  RUDI- 
MENT'AL,  initial;  primary. 

Ru'ga,  a  wrinkle. 

COR'RUGATE,  to  wrinkle. —  RU'GOSE,  wrinkled. 
Rum'pere  (rup'tum),  to  break. 

RUP'TURE,  a  breaking. —  ABRUPT',  broken  off  short;  having 
a  sudden  termination ;  unconnected. —  BANK'RUPT  (I, 
bancfo,  a  bench),  a  trader  who  cannot  pay  his  debts. — 
CORRUPT',  decomposed;  debased;  impure. —  CORRUPTIBLE, 
capable  of  becoming  corrupt. —  DISRUPTION,  the  act  of 
breaking  asunder. —  ERUP'TION,  a  bursting  out. — INTER- 
RUPT', to  break  in  upon  the  progress  of  anything. 

Rus  (ru'ra),  the  country. 

RU'RAL,  belonging  to  the  country. —  RUS'TIC,  plain;  unpol- 
ished.—  RUS'TICATE,  to  reside  for  a  time  in  the  country. 

18  Literally,  to  propose  or  seek  freedom  from. 

17  A  privilege  sought  or  asked  which  places  the  person  before 
others,  or  gives  superiority. 
11  To  ask  or  propose  with  respect  to  future  time. 

19  Compounded  of  e,  from,  and  rudis,  and  signifying,  literally, 
brought  out  from  ignorance  or  rudeness. 


164        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Scfcer,  consecrated. 

SA'CRED,  holy ;  inviolable. —  CON'SECRATE,  to  devote  to  sacred 
purposes. —  DES'ECRATE,  to  abuse  or  pervert  a  sacred 
thing. —  EX'ECRATE  (L,  etfsecror,  to  utter  imprecations), 
to  detest. —  SACERDO'TAL  (L,  sacer'dos,  a  priest),  belong- 
ing to  the  priesthood. —  SAC/RAMENT,  a  religious  cere- 
mony.—  SAC'RILEGE,  a  violation  of  what  is  sacred. —  SAC- 
RIFICE, a  religious  offering;  a  surrender  of  some  good  for 
the  sake  of  an  ulterior  object. 

Sa'gus,  wise;  discerning. 

SAGE,  wise ;  prudent. —  SAGAC'ITY,  discernment ;  acuteness. 
—  SAGA'CIOUS,  discerning. —  PRE'SAGE,  to  forebode ;  to 
foreshow. 

Sal  (sa'lis),  salt. 

SAL'AD  (F,  salade),  raw  herbs  dressed  with  salt,  etc. — 
SAi/ARY,20  a  fixed  annual  compensation  for  services. — 
SALINE',  partaking  of  the  qualities  of  salt. —  SALT,  a  sub- 
stance used  for  seasoning;  the  chloride  of  sodium. 

Sali're  (sal'tutn),  to  leap;  to  spring. 

ASSAIL',  to  attack. —  DES'ULTORY,  leaping;  passing  immeth- 
odically  from  one  subject  to  another. —  EXULT',  to  rejoice 
greatly. —  INSULT^  to  treat  with  contempt  or  abuse. —  RE- 
SULT', to  fly  back  or  rebound;  to  follow  as  an  effect. — 
SAL'LY,  to  rush  out  suddenly. —  SA'LIENT,  leaping;  shoot- 
ing out. —  SALM'ON,  a  leaping  fish. —  SAL'TATORY,  adapted 
to  leaping;  skipping;  dancing. 

Sa'lus  (salu'tis),  health;  safety. 

SAL'UTARY,  healthful ;  advantageous. —  SAFE,  free  from 
danger. —  SALU'BRITY,  tendency  to  promote  health. — 
SALUTE',  to  greet;  to  wish  health  or  success. —  SALVA'- 
TION,  preservation  from  destruction. —  SALU'TATORY,  con- 
taining salutations;  greeting  (applied  to  an  oration  which 
introduces  the  exercises  of  commencement  in  colleges). — 
SALVE,  an  ointment. —  SAVE,  to  preserve ;  to  rescue. — 
SAV'IOUR,  one  who  rescues. 

Sacri're  (sanc'tum),  to  consecrate;  to  ordain  or  establish. 
SAINT,    a   person   sanctified. —  SANCTIFY,    to   make   holy. — 
SANCTIMO'NIOUS,    having    the    appearance    of    sanctity; 
saintly ;     seeming    holy. —  SANC'TION,     confirmation ;     ap- 

20  The  Latin  word  sala'rium,  signifies,  properly,  money  for  salt; 
hence,  allowance  for  expenses. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM   LATIN   AND  GREEK        165 

proval.     SANCTITY     (sanc'tus,    holy),    sacredness;    holi- 
ness.—  SANC'TUARY,  a  sacred  place. 

San'guis  (san'guinis),  blood. 

SAN'GUINARY,  bloody. —  SAN'GUINE,  ardent  in  feeling;  con- 
fident.—  CONSANGUINITY,  relationship  by  blood. 

Sa'nus,  sound;  healthy. 

SANE,  sound ;  having  reason. —  SAN'ITY,  soundness ;  reason. 
—  INSANE',  disordered  in  mind. —  INSAN'ITY,  derangement; 
madness. —  SAN'ATIVE,  tending  to  heal. 

SJpere,  to  have  flavor  or  taste ;  to  be  wise. 
SA'PIENT,    wise ;    discerning. —  SA'PIENCE,    wisdom. —  SAPO- 
RIF'IC,  producing  taste. —  INSIP'ID,  tasteless. —  SA'VOR,  taste 
or  odor. —  SA'VORY,  pleasing  to  the  organs  of  taste  or  smell. 

Sapo  (sapo'nis),  soap. 
SAPONACEOUS,  soapy. —  SAPON'IFY,  to  convert  into  soap. 

Sarx  (G),  flesh. 

SAR'cASM,21  a  satirical  remark;  a  taunt. —  HYPERSARCO'SIS, 
the  growth  of  fungous  or  proud  flesh. 

Sa'tis,  enough. 

SA'TIATE,  to  feed  to  the  full;  to  fill  beyond  natural  desire. — 
SATI'ETY,  an  excess  of  gratification ;  fullness  producing  dis- 
gust.—  SAT'URATE,  to  add  an  ingredient  until  no  more  can 
be  absorbed. — SAT'ISFY,  to  gratify  wants  or  demands  to  the 
full  extent. —  INSA'TIABLE,  not  to  be  satisfied. 

Sca'la,  a  ladder. 

SCALE,  to  climb  (as,  by  a  ladder). —  SCAL'ABLE,  that  may  be 
scaled. 

Scan'dere  (scan' sum},  to  climb;  to  mount. 
ASCEND',  to  climb  or  go  up. —  ASCENT',  the  way  by  which  one 
ascends. —  DESCEND',  to  go  down. —  CONDESCEND',  to  stoop; 
to  descend  from  the  dignity  of  rank  or  character. —  TRAN- 
SCEND', to  rise  beyond ;  to  surmount. —  SCAN,  to  examine 
with  critical  care ;  to  examine  a  verse  by  counting  the  feet. 

Schis'ma  (G),  a  splitting;  a  division. 

SCHISM,  division  or  separation  in  a  church. —  SCHISMAT'IC, 
promoting  schism. 

21  Literally,  a  cutting  or  tearing  of  the  flesh. 


1 66       GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Scho'le  (G),  leisure. 

SCHOOL,  a  place  of  instruction. —  SCHOL'AR,  one  who  learns ; 
a  person  of  learning. —  SCHOLAS'TIC,  pertaining  to  a  school, 
or  to  the  schools. — SCHO'LIAST,  a  commentator. 

Scin'dere  (sets' sum) ,  to  cut;  to  divide. 
SCIS'SORS,  small  shears. —  EXSCIND',  to  cut  off. —  RESCIND',  to 
abrogate;  to  revoke. 

Sci'ere,  to  know;  Scien'tia,  knowledge. 
SCI'ENCE,  knowledge. —  SCIENTIFIC,  pertaining  to  science. — 
SCI'OLIST,  a  smatterer;  one  who  knows  many  things  su- 
perficially.—  CONSCIENCE,  the  knowledge  of  right  and 
wrong. —  CONSCIOUSNESS,  the  knowledge  of  what  passes 
in  one's  own  mind. —  CONSCIENTIOUS,  obedient  to  the  dic- 
tates of  conscience. —  PRE'SCIENCE,  foreknowledge. 

Scri'bere  (scrip' turn),  to  write. 

SCRIBE,  a  writer ;  a  secretary. —  SCRIPT'URE,  a  writing.22  — 
SCRIV'ENER,  one  who  draws  contracts  or  other  writings. — 
SCRIP,  a  small  writing  or  certificate. —  SUBSCRIBE',  to  write 
underneath;  to  sign  with  one's  own  hand. —  DESCRIBE',23 
to  give  an  account  of. —  ASCRIBE',  to  attribute  to. —  PRE- 
SCRIBE', to  give  a  written  direction;  to  give  a  rule  of  con- 
duct.—  PROSCRIBE',24  to  censure  and  condemn  as  unworthy 
of  reception. —  TRANSCRIBE',  to  write  a  copy  of  anything. 
—  CIRCUMSCRIBE',  to  limit;  to  enclose  by  a  boundary. — 
INSCRIBE',  to  write  upon;  to  dedicate  in  a  short  written 
address. —  CONSCRIP'TION,  a  compulsory  enrolment  of  men 
for  military  or  naval  service. —  SUPERSCRIPTION,  that 
which  is  written  on  the  outside. —  POST'SCRIPT,  something 
written  after  a  letter  has  been  concluded  and  signed. 

Scru'tor  (scruta'tus),  to  examine. 

SCRU'TINY,  close  examination. —  SCRU'TINIZE,  to  examine 
closely. —  INSCRU'TABL-E,  unsearchable;  not  to  be  under- 
stood. 

Seca're   (sec' turn),  to  cut. 

SECTION,  a  part ;  a  distinct  portion. —  SECT,  a  party  holding 
peculiar  sentiments  in  philosophy  or  religion. —  SEG'MENT, 

22  Used  only  in  reference  to  the  Sacred  Writings  contained  in 
the  Bible. 

23  Literally  to  write  concerning. 

24  Primitive  signification,  to  write  the  name  of  a  person  on  the 
list  of  those  who  are  placed  out  of  the  protection  of  the  law. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        1*67 

a  part  cut  off. —  BISECT',  to  separate  into  two  equal  parts. 

—  DISSECT',  to  cut  in  pieces  in  such  a  manner  as  to  show 
the  several  constituent  parts. —  IN'SECT,  a  small  animal. — 
INSEC'TION,  a  cutting  in. —  INTERSECTION,  the  point  where 
lines  .cut  each  other. —  VENESECTION   (L,  ve'na,  a  vein), 
the  act  of  opening  a  vein. 

Sec'ulum,  an  age. 

SEC'ULAR,  pertaining  to  the  present  world. —  SECULARIZE,  to 
make  worldly. 

Se'dere   (sesfsum),  to  sit. 

SED'ENTARY,  accustomed  to  sitting. —  SESSION,  a  sitting. — 
SEDATE',  settled;  calm;  sober. —  SED'IMENT,  that  which 
settles. —  ASSID'UOUS,  diligent  in  application.25  —  INSID'- 
lous  [properly,  lying  in  wait],  deceitful;  treacherous. — 
ASSESS  ,  to  fix  the  value  of  property  for  the  purpose  of 
taxation. —  ASSESS'OR,  one  who  assesses. —  POSSESS',  to 
hold ;  to  own. —  PRESIDE',  to  be  set  over ;  to  direct. 

—  RESIDE',    to    dwell. —  SUBSIDE',    to    sink    away. —  SUB- 
SID'IARY,  aiding ;  furnishing  supplies. —  SUB'SIDIZE,  to  pur- 
chase  the  assistance  of  another. —  SUPERSEDE',26  to  take 
the  place  of;  to  set  aside  by  having  superior  influence. 

Se'men  (sem'inis},  seed. 

SEM'INARY,  a  place  of  education.27  —  DISSEM'INATE,  to  scat- 
ter abroad  (as,  seed). 

Sem'i  (an  inseparable  particle),  half. 
SEM'I-AN'NUAL,  half  yearly. —  SEM'I-CIRCLE,  half  of  a  circle. 

—  SEM'I-DIAM'ETER  (G),  half  the  diameter. —  SEM'I-TONE 
(G),  half  a  tone. 

SSnex,  aged;  Senior,  older. 

SE'NIOR,  one  more  advanced  in  years  or  in  the  course  of 
appointment  or  station. —  SE'NILE,  pertaining  to  old  age. 

—  SEN'ATOR,    a    member    of    a    senate.28  —  SEIGN'IOR,    a 
nobleman;  a  title  of  honor. 

Senti're  (sen'sum),  to  perceive;  to  think. 
SEN'TIMENT,  thought;  opinion;  notion. —  SEN'TIENT,  having 
the  faculty  of  perception. —  SEN'TENCE,  a  judgment  pro- 

25  Literally,  sitting  close  to  work. 

26  Literally,  to  sit  above. 

27  Because  the  seeds  of  knowledge  are  there  planted. 

28  The  Romans  called  their  highest  legislative  body  the  Senate, 
from  its  having  been  composed  at  first  of  the  older  men. 


1 68  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

nounced  upon  a  criminal;  a  complete  expression  in  words. 

—  SENSE,  the  faculty  of  perceiving  by  the  senses  or  by  the 
intellect ;  meaning. —  SENS'UAL,   pertaining  to  the   senses. 

—  SENSITIVE,    easily    affected. —  SENSIBLE,    able    to    per- 
ceive; intelligent;  perceptible  by  the  senses. —  ASSENT',  to 
agree   to. —  CONSENT',    to   yield. —  DISSENT',    to    differ   in 
opinion;  to  refuse  assent. —  PRESENTIMENT,  apprehension 
of  something  future. —  RESENT7,  to  manifest  anger  in  con- 
sequence of  a  supposed  injury. 

Sepeli're  (sepul'tum} ,  to  bury. 

SEP'ULCHRE,  a  tomb  or  place  of  burial. —  SEP'ULTURE,  burial ; 
the  act  of  interring. 

Sep'tem,  seven. 

SEPTEMBER,  the  seventh  month.29  —  SEPTEN'NIAL,  of  seven 
years. —  SEP'TUAGINT  30  (L,  septuagin'ta,  seventy),  a 
Greek  version  of  the  Old  Testament. 

Sefquor  (secu'tus),  to  follow. 

SE'QUEL,  the  succeeding  part. —  SE'QUENCE,  a  following ;  suc- 
cession.—  CONSEQUENCE,  that  which  follows  from  any 
act  or  event. —  CONSEC'UTIVE,  following  in  regular  order. 

—  EXE'CUTE  (L,  ex'sequor),  to  carry  into  effect. —  OBSE'- 
QUIOUS,  complying  in  a  servile  manner. —  PER'SECUTE,  to 
pursue  with  injuries  and  vexation. —  PROS'ECUTE,  to  fol- 
low with  a  view  to  accomplish ;  to  bring  to  trial. —  OB'- 
SEQUIES,    funeral    solemnities. —  ENSUED    to    follow    as    a 
consequence. —  PURSUE',    to    follow ;    to    chase. —  SUB'SE- 
QUENT,  occurring  at  a  later  period. 

Se'rere  (se/tum),  to  knit  together;  to  connect. 
SE'RIES  (L),  a  succession  of  things. —  SER'MON  (L,  se/mo, 
speech),  a  discourse. —  ASSERT',  to  declare;  to  affirm. — 
AssER'T'oR,  a  vindicator. —  DESERT',  to  forsake. —  Dis- 
SERTA'TION,  a  treatise. —  EXERT',  to  put  forth;  to  put  into 
action. —  INSERT',  to  set  in  or  among. 

Se^pere,  to  creep. 
SER'PENT,  a  creeping  animal. —  SER'PENTINE,  winding;  spiral. 

29  Reckoning  from  March,  which  was  once  accounted  the  first 
month  in  the  year. 

30  So  called  because  it  was  made  by  seventy  (or  more  exactly 
seventy-two)  interpreters.    The  date  of  its  execution  was  about 
280  B.  C. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM   LATIN   AND   GREEK?        169 

Sev'ra,  a  saw. 

SER'RATED,  notched  like  a  saw;  having  the  margin  cut  into 
teeth  pointing  forward  (as,  a  leaf). 

Serva're  (serva'tum),  to  watch;  to  preserve.  Sei'vus,  a 
slave  or  servant. 

SERVE,  to  attend  at  command ;  to  wait  on. —  SERVANT,  one 
who  serves. —  SERF,  a  kind  of  slave. —  SERVICE,  labor 
performed  for  another. —  SER'VILE,  slavish. —  SER'VITUDE, 
slavery. —  CONSERVATORY,  a  place  where  anything  is  pre- 
served.—  DESERVE',  to  merit. —  OBSERVE',  to  watch;  to 
have  regard  to. —  PRESERVE',  to  save. —  RESERVE',  to  keep 
back ;  to  keep  in  store. —  SUBSER'VIENT,  useful  as  an  in- 
strument.—  RES'ERVOIR  (F),  a  place  for  containing  what 
is  kept  in  store;  particularly  a  cavity  for  holding  a  fluid. 

Seve'rus,  severe. 

SEVERE',  sharp;  strict;  exact. —  SEVER'ITY,  sharpness;  strict- 
ness.—  PERSEVE'RANCE,  constancy  in  a  pursuit. —  PERSE- 
VERE', to  persist  in  an  attempt. —  ASSEVERA'TION,  a  solemn 
affirmation. 

Sex,  six. 

SEXAGENA'RIAN  (L,  sexagin'ta,  sixty),  one  at  the  age  of 
sixty  years. —  SEX'TANT,  the  sixth  part  of  a  circle;  an  in- 
strument for  measuring  angles. 

Si'dus  (sid'eris),  a  star. 
SIDE'REAL,  pertaining  to  stars. 

Sig'num,  a  sign;  a  seal. 

SIGN,  n.  a  token ;  a  mark. —  SIGN,  v.  to  write  one's  name 
under  any  form  or  document. —  SIG'NAL,  that  which  gives 
notice. —  SIG'NIFY,  to  express;  to  mean. —  INSIGNIFICANT, 
wanting  meaning;  unimportant. —  ASSIGN',  to  allot;  to  ap- 
point.—  CONSIGN',  to  deliver  over;  to  commit. —  DESIGN', 
to  purpose;  to  plan. —  DES'IGNATE,  to  point  out. —  EN'- 
SIGN,  a  standard ;  a  badge. —  RESIGN',  to  yield ;  to  give  up. 
—  SIG'NET,  a  seal. 

Sim'ilis,  like. 

SIM'ILAR,  like;  resembling. —  SIM'ILE,  an  illustrative  com- 
parison.—  SIMILARITY,  SIMIL'ITUDE,  SEM'BLANCE,  RE- 
SEM'BLANCE,  likeness;  comparison. —  DISSEM'BLE,  to  hide 
under  a  false  appearance. —  DISSIMULATION,  hypocrisy.— 
DISSIM'ILAR,  unlike. —  RESEM'BLE  (Fr,  ressembler),  to  be 


I7O        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

like. —  SIMULTANEOUS  (L,  si'mul,  together),  at  the  same 
time. 

Sinister,  left. 

SIN'ISTER,  left-handed;  dishonest. —  SIN'ISTROUSLY,  wrongly ; 

perversely. 

Si'nus,  a  fold;  a  bosom. 
SINUOS'ITY,  a  bending  or  curving  in  and  out. —  INSIN'UATE, 

to  introduce  by  slow,  gentle,  or  artful  means. —  INSINUA'- 

TION,  a  hint. 

Sisftere,  or  stare  (staftum),  to  stand;  to  place;  to  set  up. 
STATE,  condition. —  STA'TION,  a  standing  place. —  STA'TION- 
ARY,  fixed ;  settled. —  STAT'URE,  the  height  of  a  person. — 
STAT*UE,  an  image  set  up. —  STA'BLE,  a  house  for  beasts  to 
stand  in. —  STABIL'ITY,  steadiness. —  ASSIST*,  to  stand  by ; 
to  help. —  CiR'cuMSTANCE,31  something  attending  a  fact 
or  case. —  CONSIST*,  to  stand  together;  to  be  composed  of. 

—  CONSISTENT,  compatible ;   congruous. —  CON'STANT,  un- 
changed; continual. —  CONSTITUTE,  to   form  or  compose. 

—  CONSTITUTION,   established   system. —  CON'STABLE,"   an 
officer  of  the  peace. —  DESIST*,  to  stand  off ;  to  stop. —  DES'- 
TITUTE,    not   possessing;   needy. —  DIS'TANT,    remote;    far 
off. —  ESTAB'LISH,  to  settle  firmly. —  EXIST*,  to  be. —  Ex'- 
TANT,  now  in  being. —  INSIST*,  to  stand  upon;  to  urge. — 
IN*STANT,   pressing;    present;   a   point   of   time. —  IN'TER- 
STICE,  a  narrow  space  between  things. —  PERSIST',  to  per- 
severe.—  PROS'TITUTE,  to  devote  to  a  base  purpose. —  RE- 
SIST', to  withstand. 

Si'tos  (G),  food. 

PAR'AsiTE,33  a  flatterer;  a  hanger  on. —  PARASIT'ICAL,  fawn- 
ing for  bread  or  favors. 

Skep'tomai  (G),  to  examine  or  consider. 
SKEP'TIC,  one  who  doubts. —  SKEP'TICAL,  doubting. —  SKEP'- 
TICISM,  a  state  or  habit  of  doubting. 

Sko'pein  (G),  to  observe;  to  watch. 
EPIS'COPAL,  governed  by  bishops.34  —  EPIS'COPATE,  a  bishop- 

31  Literally,  that  which  stands  around  or  near. 

32  Lat.  co'mes  stab'uli,  overseer  of  the  stable ;  an  office  which 
existed  under  the  Roman  emperors. 

33  Literally,  one  who  feeds  beside,  or  at  the  table  of  another. 
A  parasitic  plant  is  one  which  grows  on  the  stem  or  branch  of 
another  plant,  as  the  mistletoe. 

34  The  Greek  word,  corresponding  to  our  word  bishop,  is  epis- 
kopos,  which  signifies,  in  general,  an  overseer. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        17! 

ric. —  SCOPE,35    design;    view;    sufficient    space. —  STETH'- 
OSCOPE   (G,  stethos,  the  breast),  a  surgical  instrument.36 

—  TEI/ESCOPE  3T  (G,  tele,  afar),  a  glass  for  viewing  dis- 
tant objects.—  RESTITUTION,  giving  back.— SOL'STICE,  the 
tropical  point.—  STAT'ICS,  that  branch  of  mechanics  which 
treats  of  bodies  at  rest—  STA'MEN    (L),  the  fixed,  firm 
part  of  a  body  which  gives  it  strength. —  STAND,  to  be 
erect;  to  remain  fixed. —  SUBSTITUTE,  that  which  is  put 
in  the  place  of  something  else. —  SUBSIST^  to  be ;  to  con- 
tinue.—  SUB'STANCE,  being;  body. —  SUBSTANTIAL,  not  im- 
aginary ;   solid. —  SUPERSTITION,   false  religion ;  belief  in 
omens  and  prognostics. 

So'cius,  a  companion. 

SO'CIABLE,  agreeable  as  a  companion ;  familiar. —  SOCI'ETY, 
a  union  of  persons  for  any  particular  purpose. —  SO'CIAL, 
pertaining  to  society. —  ASSO'CIATE,  CONSO'CIATE,  to  unite. 

—  DISSO'CIATE,  to  disjoin. 

Sol  (so'lis),  the  sun. 

SO'LAR,  pertaining  to  the  sun. —  IN'SOLATE,  to  expose  to  the 
heat  of  the  sun. 

Sol'idus,  solid. 

SOI/ID,  not  fluid ;  strong ;  compact. —  SOLID'ITY,  firmness ; 
hardness. —  SOLID'IFY,  to  make  solid. —  CoNsoi/iDATE,38  to 
form  into  a  compact  mass. —  SOL'DER,  to  unite  by  a  metallic 
cement. —  Sou/iER,39  a  man  engaged  in  military  service. 

So'lor  (sola'tus),  to  comfort;  to  soothe. 
CONSOLE',  to  comfort ;  to  cheer. —  DISCONSOLATE,  destitute 
of  consolation;  dejected;  not  expecting  comfort. —  INCON- 
SOL'ABLE,  not  to  be  consoled. —  SOL'ACE,  alleviation ;  com- 
fort. 

35 Literally,  the  object  looked  at  or  aimed  at;  also,  space  in 
which  to  look  about. 

36  The  instrument  is  pressed  against  the  chest  or  stomach,  and 
the  ear  of  the  surgeon  is  then  applied  to  it,  for  the  purpose  of 
distinguishing  the  internal  disease  by  the  sounds  communicated. 

3T  The  suffixes  scope,  scopy,  scopic,  are  found  in  many  terms  of 
science  and  art. 

38  Con' sols,  in  England,  are  stocks  formed  by  the  consolidation 
of  different  annuities. 

39  The  Romans  had  a  gold  coin  called  the  Sol'idus  or  Sol'dus ; 
it  is  supposed  that  the  word  soldier  was  derived  from  the  mode 
of  military  payment. 


172  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

So'lus,  alone;  only. 

SOLE,  single ;  only. —  SOL'ITARY,  living  alone. —  SOL'ITUDE,  a 
state  of  being  alone;  a  lonely  place. —  DES'OLATE,  laid 
waste;  cheerless. —  DESOLA'TION,  destitution;  ruin. — 
SOLIL'OQUY,  a  speech  to  one's  self  alone. —  SO'LO  (I),  a 
passage  of  music  for  a  single  instrument  or  voice. 

Sol'vere  (solu'tum),  to  loose. 

SOLVE,  to  explain. —  SOLU'TION,  the  process  of  dissolving ; 
explanation. —  SOL'UBLE,  capable  of  being  dissolved. — 
SOLVENCY,  ability  to  pay. —  SOL'VENT,  a  fluid  which  dis- 
solves a  substance. —  ABSOLVE',  to  clear;  to  acquit  of  a 
crime. —  AB'SOLUTE,  complete ;  unconditional. —  ABSOLU'- 
TION,  acquittal ;  remission. —  DIS'SOLUTE,  loose  in  morals. 

—  DISSOLVE',  to  melt;  to  break  up. —  RESOLVE',  to  deter- 
mine. 

Som'nus,  sleep. 

SOMNAM'BULIST,  one  who  walks  in  sleep. —  SOMNIF'IC,  caus- 
ing sleep. —  SOM'NOLENCY,  drowsiness. 

So'nus,  a  sound. 

SOUND,  a  noise. —  SONO'ROUS,  giving  sound. —  CON'SONANT, 
n.  a  letter  that  can  be  sounded  only  in  connection  with  a 
vowel. —  CON'SONANT,  a.  consistent. —  RESOUND',  to  send 
back  sound. —  RES'ONANT,  resounding. —  U'NISON,  agree- 
ment of  sound. 

So'phia  (G),  wisdom. 

PHILOS'OPHY,  literally,  the  love  of  wisdom. —  SOPH'ISM,  a 
specious  but  fallacious  argument. —  SOPH'ISTRY,  fallacious 
reasoning. —  UNSOPHISTICATED,  not  instructed  in  evil; 
pure. 

So'por,  drowsiness;  lethargy. 
SOPORIF'IC,  causing  sleep. —  SOPORIF'EROUS,  inducing  sleep. 

Sors  (sor'tis),  a  lot;  chance;  a  share. 
ASSORT',    to   separate    into    classes. —  CON'SORT,    n.    a    com- 
panion; a  wife  or  husband. —  CONSORT',  v.  to  associate. 

—  RESORT',  to  betake ;  to  repair. —  SORT,  a  kind ;  a  species. 

Spa'ein  (G),  to  draw. 

EPISPAS'TIC,  drawing,  as  a  blister. —  SPASMOD'IC,  consisting 
in  spasm. —  SPASM,  an  involuntary  contraction  of  the  mus- 
cles; a  convulsion. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK 

Spa/gere   (spar'sum),  to  strew;  to  scatter. 
SPARSE,  thinly  scattered. —  ASPERSE',  to  bespatter  with  cal- 
umny.—  ASPER'SION,   calumny. —  DISPERSE',  to  scatter ;  to 
dissipate. —  INTERSPERSE',  to  scatter  between. 

Spa'tium,  space. 

SPACE,  room ;  extension. —  SPA'CIOUS,  roomy ;  extensive. — 
EXPA'TIATE,  to  move  at  large;  to  enlarge  in  discourse. 

Spefcere  (spec' turn),  to  see. 

AS'PECT,  appearance;  view. —  CIR'CUMSPECT,  watchful;  cau- 
tious.—  CONSPIC'UOUS,  easily  seen;  prominent. —  EXPECT', 
to  look  or  wait  for. —  INSPECT',  to  look  on  or  into;  to  ex- 
amine.—  PERSPECTIVE,40  appearance  represented  on  a 
plane  surface. —  PROS'PECT,  view  of  objects  within  the 
reach  of  the  eye. —  PROSPECTIVE,  regarding  the  future. — 
RESPECT',  regard. —  RESPECT'ABLE,  worthy  of  regard. — 
RESPECTIVE,  particular. —  RE'TROSPECT,  a  looking  back  on 
things  past. —  SPE'CIE,  coin. —  SPECIF'IC,  designating  the 
peculiar  properties. —  SPEC'IFY,  to  mention  particulars. — 
SPEC'IMEN,  a  sample. —  SPE'CIOUS,  apparently  right;  hav- 
ing a  fair  or  plausible  appearance. —  SPEC'TACLE,  a  sight ; 
a  show. —  SPECTACLES,  glasses  to  assist  the  sight. —  SPEC- 
TA'TOR,  one  who  looks  on. —  SPEC'TRE,  an  apparition. — 
SPECULATE,  to  contemplate ;  to  theorize. —  SUSPECT',  to 
mistrust. 

Spera're,  to  hope. 

DESPAIR',  hopelessness. —  DES'PERATE,  without  hope ;  reck- 
less.—  DESPERA'DO,  a  desperate  fellow.-1-  PROS'PER,  to  be 
successful. —  PROSPERITY,  successful  progress. —  PROS'- 
PEROUS,  thriving;  successful. 

Spira're,  to  breathe. 

SPIR'IT,  an  immaterial,  intelligent  being;  courage. —  SPIR'- 
ITUAL,  immaterial ;  mental. —  SPIR'ACLE,  a  breathing  hole. 

—  ASPIRE',  to  aim  at  something  elevated. —  ASPIRA'IION,  a 
breathing  after. —  ASPI'RANT,  one  who  aspires  or  aims  at 
something     elevated. —  CONSPIRE',     to     agree     together. — 
CONSPIR'ACY,  a  plot ;  treason. —  EXPIRE',  to  breathe  out ;  to 
die. —  INSPIRE',  to  breathe  into;  to  infuse  into  the  mind. 

—  INSPIRATION,  a  drawing  in  of  the  breath;  a  supernat- 
ural infusion  of  ideas  into  the  mind. —  INSPIR'IT,  to  ani- 
mate ;  to  enliven. —  PERSPIRE',  to  send  out  moisture  from 

40  Primary   signification,   a   glass   through   which   objects   are 
viewed. 


174        G000  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

the  skin. —  RESPIRE',  to  breathe ;  to  catch  breath. —  TRANS- 
PIRE', to  pass  out  in  vapor;  to  escape  from  secrecy. — 
SUSPIRA'TION,  a  sigh;  a  deep  breath. 

Splen'dere,  to  shine. 

SPLEN'DID,  shining ;  magnificent ;  showy. —  SPLEN'DOR,  bril- 
liancy ;  elegance. —  RESPLEN'DENT,  very  bright. 

Spon'dere  (spon'sum),  to  promise. 

SPON'SOR,  one  who  promises  for  another. —  SPON'SAL,  relat- 
ing to  marriage. —  SPOUSE,  a  husband  or  wife. —  ESPOUSE', 
to  marry;  to  take  one's  self. —  CORRESPOND',  to  answer;  to 
be  congruous;  to  communicate  by  letters. —  DESPOND',  to 
be  cast  down;  to  lose  courage. —  RESPOND',  to  answer. — 
RESPONSE',  a  reply. —  RESPONSIBLE,  accountable;  answer- 
able. 

Sta'sis  (G),  a  standing  or  position;  a  placing. 
APOS'TACY,    a    departure    from    original    profession. —  Ecy- 
STASY,41  excessive  joy  or  delight. —  HYDROSTAT'IC,  pertain- 
ing    to     the     pressure     of     fluids. —  SYs'TEM,42    regular 
method. 

Stel'la,  a  star. 

CONSTELLA'TION,  a  cluster  of  fixed  stars. —  STEL'LAR,  starry ; 
pertaining  to  stars. 

Stel'lein  (G),  to  send. 

APOS'TLE  (G,  from),  one  sent  or  commissioned. —  EPIS'TLE, 
a  writing  or  letter  sent. 

S ten' os  (G),  narrow. 

STENOG'RAPHY,  the  art  of  writing  in  shorthand,  or  in  a  nar- 
row compass. —  STENOG'RAPHER,  a  shorthand  writer. — 
STENOGRAPHIC,  written  in  shorthand. 

Stereos  (G),  standing  firm. 

STEREOM'ETRY,  the  art  of  measuring  solid  bodies. —  STER'EO- 
TYPE,  to  make  fixed  metallic  types,  or  plates  of  fixed  types. 

Ste/nere  (stra'tum),  to  spread;  to  strew. 
STRA'TUM  (L),  (pi.  stra'ta),  a  layer,  as  of  earth. —  STRAT'- 
IFIED,  placed  in  strata. —  SUBSTRA'TUM  (L),  a  lower  layer. 

41  Literally,  a  sudden  removal  from  the  ordinary  condition ;  a 
distraction  in  consequence  of  joy. 

42  A  standing  together;  consistency. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        175 

—  CONSTERNATION,    great    surprise    and    terror. —  PROS'- 
TRATE,  lying  flat. —  PROSTRA'TION,  loss  of  vigor. 

Sti'chos  (G),  a  line;  a  row. 

ACROS'TIC,  a  kind  of  poem  in  which  the  first  letters  of  the 
lines  form  a  name,  when  read  in  consecutive  order. — 
DIS'TICH,  a  couplet  of  poetic  lines. 

Stil'la,  a  drop. 

INSTIL',  to  pour  in  gradually;  to  teach  slowly. —  DISTIL',  to 
fall  by  drops ;  to  extract  by  heat  and  evaporation. —  Dis- 
TILLA'TION,  the  act  of  distilling. —  DISTILL'ERY,  a  place 
where  distilling  is  carried  on. —  STILL,  a  vessel  for  dis- 
tillation. 

Sti'pare  (stipa'tum),  to  fill  up;  to  stuff. 
CON'STIPATE,  to  stop,  by  filling  a  passage. 

Stirps  (sti/pus),  a  root  or  stock. 

EXTIR'PATE,  to  root  out;  to  destroy  totally. —  EXTIRPA'TION, 
eradication;  total  destruction. 

Strin'gere  (stric'tuwi),  to  bind. 

STRICT,  rigorously  nice ;  exact ;  severe. —  STRICT'URE,  a  con- 
traction; critical  censure. —  ASTRIN'GENT,  binding;  con- 
tracting.—  CONSTRAIN',  to  compel. —  CONSTRAINT',  con- 
finement.—  DIS'TRICT,  circuit  of  authority. —  RESTRAIN',  to 
withhold;  to  repress. —  RESTRICT',  to  limit;  to  confine. — 
RESTRICTION,  limitation. —  STRAIGHT,  not  crooked. — 
STRAIT,  narrow;  compressed. —  STRAIN,  to  extend  with 
force. 

Stro'phe  (G),  a  turning  round. 

APOS'TROPHE,  a  turning  aside  from  the  course  of  a  speech, 
to  address  some  absent  person,  as  if  present. —  CATAS'- 
TROPHE,  a  turn  or  issue  of  a  course  of  events;  generally 
used  to  denote  a  disastrous  issue. 

Stru'ere  (struck turn),  to  build;  to  construct. 
STRUC'TURE,  an  edifice ;  a  building. —  CONSTRUCT',  to  form ; 
to  build. —  CONSTRUCTION,  structure ;  conformation. — 
CON'STRUE,  to  interpret;  to  explain. —  INSTRUCT7,  to  teach, 
to  inform  by  precept. —  OBSTRUCT',  to  hinder;  to  block  up. 
DESTRUCTIVE,  that  destroys ;  ruinous ;  mischievous. —  DE- 
STRUC'TION,  waste;  ruin. —  SUPERSTRUCTURE,  an  erection 
upon  something  else. 


176        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Sua'dere  (sua'sum),  to  advise. 

PERSUADE',  to  bring  over  to  an  opinion. —  DISSUADE',  to  ex- 
hort or  advise  against  any  proposed  course. —  DISSUA'SIVE, 
tending  to  dissuade. —  SUA'SION,  the  act  of  persuading. 

Sua'vis,  sweet;  pleasant. 

SUAV'ITY,  softness;  agreeableness. —  INSUA/ITY,  unpleasant- 
ness. 

Suda're  (suda'tum),  to  sweat. 

EXUDE',  to  flow  out  in  the  manner  of  sweat. —  SUDORIF'IC,  ex- 
citing perspiration. 

Su'i,  of  one's  self. 
SU'ICIDE,  self-murder. —  SUICI'DAL,  destructive  to  one's  self. 

Sum,  I  am;  Esfse**  to  be;  Ens  (en'tis),  being;  Futu'rus, 
about  to  be. 

NONENTITY,  anything  not  existing;  nothing. —  ES'SENCE,  the 
peculiar  nature  or  quality  of  anything. —  ESSEN'TIAL, 
necessary  to  the  existence  of  a  thing;  pertaining  to  ele- 
mentary or  constituent  principles. —  FU'TURE,  to  be  here- 
after.—  FUTU'RITY,  time  to  come. —  AB'SENT,  not  present. 
—  PRES'ENT,  at  hand ;  near ;  before  the  face. —  REPRESENT', 
to  exhibit;  to  describe. 

Su'mere    (sump'tum),  to  take. 

ASSUME,  to  take;  to  claim. —  ASSUMP'TION,  a  taking;  a  sup- 
position.—  CONSUME',  to  waste;  to  destroy. —  CONSUMP'- 
TION,  waste ;  a  disease. —  PRESUME',  to  suppose ;  to  ven- 
ture.—  PRESUMP'TION,  confidence;  arrogance;  strong  prob- 
ability.—  RESUME',  to  take  back;  to  begin  again. —  SUMP'- 
TUOUS,  expensive. —  SUMP'TUOUSLY,  expensively;  splen- 
didly. 

Su'per,  above ;  over. 

SUPE'RIOR,  higher  in  place  or  excellence. —  SUPER'LATIVE, 
highest  in  degree;  most  eminent. —  SUPERB'  (L,  super* - 
bus),  grand;  splendid. —  SUPERABUNDANCE  (L,  dbun'do, 
to  abound),  more  than  enough;  excessive  quantity. —  IN- 
SU'PERABLE,  not  to  be  overcome  or  surmounted. —  SUPER- 
CIL'IOUS  (L,  supercil'ium,  the  brow),  haughty ;  overbearing. 
—  SUPREME',  highest  in  authority ;  greatest. —  SUPREM'- 
ACY,  highest  power. 

43  Es'se,  is  the  present  infinitive  of  the  verb  Sum,  Ens  the  pres- 
ent participle,  and  Futu'rus  the  future  participle. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        177 

Su/gere  (surrec'tum),  to  rise. 

INSUR'GENT,  rising  in  opposition  to  the  government. —  IN- 
SURRECTION, a  rising  in  rebellion. —  RESURREC'TION,  a  ris- 
ing again. —  SURGE,  a  billow ;  a  rolling  swell  of  water. 

Tabe/na,  a  shed;  a  shop. 

TAB'ERNACLE,  a  temporary  habitation. —  TAV'ERN  (F,  tav- 
erne),  an  inn;  a  drinking-place. 

T a' cere  (tacfitum),  to  be  silent. 

TAC/IT,  silent;  implied  but  not  expressed. —  TAC'ITURN, 
habitually  silent;  not  free  to  converse. 

Tan'gere  (tac'tum),  to  touch. 

TAN'GENT,  a  line  touching  a  curve. —  TAN'GIBLE,  that  can  be 
touched  or  taken  hold  of. —  TACT,  peculiar  skill,  faculty  or 
aptness. —  INTACTA  (L,  intac'tus,  untouched),  uninjured. 
—  CONTA'GION,  communication  of  disease  from  body  to 
body. —  CON'TACT,  touch ;  close  union. —  CONTINGENT,  ac- 
cidental; depending  on  an  uncertainty. 

Ta'phos  (G),  a  tomb. 

CEN'OTAPH  (G,  kenos,  empty),  a  tomb  or  monument  erected 
to  one  who  is  buried  elsewhere. —  EP'ITAPH  (G,  upon),  an 
inscription  on  a  tomb;  a  record  in  honor  of  the  dead. 

Tax'is  (G),  arrangement;  Tak'tos  (G),  arranged. 
SYN'TAX,  the  construction  of  sentences  according  to  estab- 
lished usage. —  TAC'TICS,  the  art  of  directing  military  and 
naval  movements. 

Tech'ne  (G),  art;  skill. 

TECH'NICAL,  pertaining  to  an  art  or  profession. —  TECHNOL'- 
OGY,  a  treatise  on  the  arts. 

Te'gere  (tec' turn},  to  cover. 

INTEG'UMENT,  that  which  naturally  invests  or  covers  another 
thing. —  PROTECT',  to  cover ;  to  defend. —  DETECT',  to  dis- 
cover in  spite  of  concealment. —  DETEC'TION,  discovery. 

Tern' pus  (tem'poris},  time. 

TIME,  measure  of  duration. —  TEM'PORAL,  relating  to  time; 
not  eternal. —  TEM'PORARY,  lasting  only  a  time. —  CONTEM- 
PORARY, living  at  the  same  time. —  TENSE  (Fr,  temps},  an 
inflection  of  verbs  by  which  time  is  denoted. —  EXTEM- 
PORA'NEOUS,  produced  at  the  time;  not  premeditated. 


178  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

—  TEM'PER,  v.  to  moderate.4*  —  TEM'PER,  n.  disposition. — 
TEM'PEST,  storm;  commotion. —  TEM'PORIZE,  to  comply 
with  the  time  or  occasion;  to  delay;  to  procrastinate. — 
TEM'PERANCE,  moderation. —  INTEM'PERANCE,  excess. — 
TEM'PERAMENT,  native  constitution. 

Ten'dere  (ten' sum  or  ten' turn),  to  stretch;  to  go  towards;  to 

aim  at. 

TEND,  to  move  towards;  to  watch. —  TEND'ENCY,  direction 
towards  any  result;  inclination. —  ATTEND',  to  listen;  to 
have  regard  to. —  ATTEN'TION,  regard. —  CONTEND',  to 
strive;  to  contest. —  DISTEND',  to  fill  out;  to  expand. —  EX- 
TEND', to  spread;  to  enlarge. —  EXTENT',  compass;  size. — 
INTEND',  to  purpose. —  INTEN'TION,  n.  design. —  INTENT^  a. 
fixed  on;  eager  in  pursuing. —  INTENSE',  strained;  vehe- 
ment; ardent. —  OSTENSIBLE  (L,  osten'do,  to  show),  seem- 
ing.—  OSTENTA'TION,  ambitious  display. —  PORTEND',  to 
forebode ;  to  foretoken. —  PORTENT'OUS,  ominous. — PRE- 
TEND', to  hold  out,  as  a  false  appearance. —  PRETENCE',  a 
feigning  or  pretending. —  SUPERINTEND',  to  have  the  di- 
rection of. —  TEN'DON,  a  cord. —  TENSE,  stretched  to  stiff- 
ness.—  TEN'SION,  tightness. —  TENT,  a  covering  stretched 
on  poles. 

Te'nere  (ten'tutn),  to  hold;  to  keep. 

TEN'URE,  a  holding. —  TEN'ABLE,  that  can  be  held  or  main- 
tained.—  TENA'CIOUS,  holding  fast. —  TEN'ET,  an  opinion 
held. —  ABSTAIN',  to  refrain  from. —  AB'STINENCE,  the  act 
of  refraining. —  CONTAIN',  to  hold;  to  comprehend. —  CON'- 
TENTS,  n.  that  which  is  contained  within  any  limits  or 
boundaries. —  CONTENT',45  a.  satisfied. —  CONTIN'UE,  to  re- 
main.—  CONTIN'UAL,  uninterrupted. —  CouN'TENANCE,46  the 
visage  or  look. —  DETAIN',  to  keep  back. —  DETEN'TION,  re- 
straint; confinement. —  ENTERTAIN',  to  receive  with  hospi- 
tality; to  cherish. —  LIEUTEN'ANT  (F,  lieu,  place),  an  offi- 
cer who  supplies  the  place  of  a  superior  in  his  absence. — 
OBTAIN',  to  gain ;  to  get. —  PERTAIN',  to  belong  to. —  PER'- 
TINENT,  applicable. —  IMPER'TINENT,  inapplicable;  ill-man- 
nered.—  PERTINA'CIOUS,  adhering  resolutely;  obstinate. — 
PERTINAC'ITY,  inflexibility;  obstinacy. —  RETAIN',  to  hold; 
to  keep. —  RETEN'TIVE,  having  the  power  to  retain. —  Sus- 

**The  primary  signification  seems  to  be,  to  appoint  a  time  or 
limit. 

45  Literally,  held,  restrained. 
49  Primary  sig.,  the  contents  of  a  body. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK 

TAIN',  to  hold  up ;  to  support. —  SUS'TENANCE,  support. — 
TEN'ANT,  one  who  holds  or  occupies  a  house  and  lands. — 
TEN'EMENT,  a  dwelling  or  habitation. — -TEN'OR  (L),  con- 
tinued course. 

Tenta're  (tenta'tunt),  to  try. 

ATTEMPT',  v.  to  endeavor. —  ATTEMPT',  ».  an  endeavor. — 
TEMPT,  to  solicit  or  incite. —  TEMPT'ING,  attractive. 

Ten'uis,  slender. 

ATTEN'UATE,  to  make  slender. —  EXTEN'UATE,  to  lessen;  to 
palliate. 

Ter'gere  (te/sum),  to  scour;  to  make  clean. 
TERSE,  elegant  in  style  without  prolixity. —  TERSE'NESS,  neat- 
ness of  style ;  elegance  and  conciseness. 

Te/minus,  a  bound  or  limit. 

TERM,  a  limit ;  a  limited  time ;  a  word  or  expression. —  TERM'- 
INATE,  to  bring  to  an  end. —  DETERMINE,  to  fix ;  to  decide. 
—  DETERMINATE,  limited ;  definite. —  EXTERMINATE,  to 
drive  away;  to  destroy  utterly. —  INDETER'MINATE,  not 
definite. —  INTERMINABLE,  boundless. 

Te'rere  (tri'tum'),  to  wear  by  rubbing. 

TRITE,  worn  out. —  CON'TRITE,  broken-hearted  as  a  result  of 
sin. —  DET'RIMENT,  damage;  injury. —  DETRIMENT' AL,  caus- 
ing detriment;  injurious;  hurtful. 

7V/ro,  the  earth. 

INTER',  to  bury  in  the  earth. —  MEDITERRANEAN,  the  sea  be- 
tween Europe  and  Africa. —  SUBTERRA'NEAN,  beneath  the 
surface  of  the  earth. —  TER'RACE,  a  raised  bank  of  earth ;  a 
fiat  roof. —  TERRA'QUEOUS,  consisting  of  land  and  water. — 
TERRES'TRIAL,  pertaining  to  the  earth. —  TER'RIER,  a  dog 
that  hunts  along  or  under  the  ground. —  TER'RITORY,  a  dis- 
trict; a  tract  of  land. 

Terr e' re  (ter'ritunt),  to  affright. 

DETER',  to  stop  by  fear. —  TER'ROR,  fear ;  dread. —  TER'RIBLE, 
frightful;  dreadful. —  TER'RIFY,  to  frighten. —  TERRIF'IC, 
causing  terror. 

Tes'sares  (G),  four. 

TET'RACHORD,  a  series  of  four  sounds. —  TES'SELATED,  formed 
in  little  squares. 


l8o  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

Tes'tis,  a  witness. 

ATTEST',  to  bear  witness;  to  certify. —  ATTESTATION,  solemn 
declaration. —  CONTEST',  to  strive ;  to  litigate. —  DETEST',  to 
abhor. —  INTESTATE,47  not  having  made  a  will. —  PROTEST7, 
to  make  a  formal  declaration. —  PROT'ESTANT,48  one  who 
joins  in  a  protest. —  TEST'AMENT,  a  will. —  TESTA'TOR,  one 
who  makes  a  will. —  TEST'IFY,  to  bear  witness. —  TESTIMO'- 
NIAL,  a  certificate. —  TEST'IMONY,  that  which  is  affirmed 
by  a  witness. 

Te^ere  (tex^tum),  to  weave. 

CONTEXT7,  knit  or  woven  together. —  CON'TEXT,  the  connected 
passages. —  PRE'TEXT,  a  pretence;  an  ostensible  reason,  as- 
sumed to  conceal  the  true  one. —  TEXT,  a  composition  on 
which  a  commentary  is  written ;  a  passage  of  Scripture. — 
TEXT-BOOK,  a  book  used  in  teaching. —  TEXT'URE,  a  web ; 
that  which  is  woven,  or  the  manner  of  weaving. 

Thea'omai  (G),  to  behold. 

THE'ATRE,  a  place  of  exhibition;  a  conspicuous  place  of  ac- 
tion.—  THEAT'RICAL,  resembling  the  manner  of  dramatic 
performers. 

The' os  (G),  God. 

A'THEISM,  the  disbelief  of  the  existence  of  a  God. — THE'- 
ISM,  the  belief  of  the  existence  of  a  God. —  MON'OTHEISM, 
the  doctrine  of  one  God. —  THEOC'RACY,  government  by  the 
immediate  direction  of  God. —  THEOLOGY,  the  science  of 
God  and  divine  things. 

The'sis  (G),  a  putting  or  placing;  The' ma  (G),  something 

placed. 

ANATH'EMA,  excommunication  with  curses. —  Ep'iTHET,49  an 
adjective. —  ANTITH'ESIS,  an  opposition  of  words  or  senti- 
ments.—  HYPOTH'ESis,50  a  supposition. —  PAREN'THESIS,  a 
clause  or  sentence  within  another. —  SYN'THESIS,  a  putting 
together;  a  combining. —  SYNTHET'ICAL,  proceeding  by  syn- 

47  A  will  was  called  by  the  Latins  testamen'tum. 

48  Martin  Luther  protested  against  a  decree  of  Charles  V  and 
the  diet  of  Spires ;  his  followers  are  therefore  called  Protestants. 

49  Literally,  something  placed  upon ;  a  descriptive  word  applied 
to  anything  in  representing  it. 

60  A  placing  under;  which  is  the  literal  signification  of  the 
word  supposition.  A  position  assumed  as  the  basis  of  an  argu- 
ment 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        l8l 

thesis. —  THEME,  a  topic. —  THE'SIS,  a  position;  a  proposi- 
tion advanced. 

Tim' ere,  to  fear. 

TIM'ID,  fearful. —  TIM'OROUS,  cowardly;  full  of  fear. —  IN- 
TIM'IDATE,  to  render  fearful;  to  deter. 

Tin'gere  (tine' turn),  to  dip;  to  dye. 

TINGE,  to  infuse  or  impregnate  slightly. —  TAINT,  stain;  in- 
fection.—  TINT,  a  slight  coloring. —  TINCTURE,  a  liquid 
containing  the  principal  qualities  of  some  substance;  a 
slight  quality  added  to  anything. 

Tol'lere,  to  lift  up;  to  bear  away. 
EXTOL,  to  praise  highly. —  TOL'ERATE  (L,  tol'ero),  to  endure. 

To' me  (G),  the  act  of  cutting. 

ANAT'OMY,"  the  art  of  dissecting. —  Ar'oM,52  an  indivisible 
particle. —  EriT'oME,53  a  compendium  or  summary. — 
TOME,"  a  volume. 

To'nos  (G),  tension;  tone. 

AT'ONY,  relaxation;  want  of  vigor. —  DET'ONATE,  to  explode. 
—  INTONA'TION,  manner  of  sounding. —  TONE,  tension; 
vigor ;  sound ;  a  musical  interval. —  TON'IC,  increasing  ten- 
sion or  vigor;  giving  tone  to  the  system. 

To'pos  (G),  a  place. 

TOP'IC,  a  subject  of  discourse. —  TOP'ICAL,  local. —  TOPOG'- 
RAPHY,  the  description  of  a  particular  place. 

To/pere,  to  be  numb  or  stupid. 

TOR'PID,  inactive;  stupid. —  TOR'POR,  sluggishness;  want  of 
activity  or  feeling. —  TORPE'DO  (L),  a  machine  invented 
for  blowing  up  ships  by  submarine  explosion. 

To/quere  (to/ium),  to  twist. 

CONTORTION,  a  twisting  or  writhing. —  DISTORT',  to  twist  out 
of  shape. —  EXTORT*,  to  wrest  or  force  from  one. —  Ex- 
TOR'TION,  illegal  exaction;  unreasonable  demand. —  RE- 
TORT', to  throw  back  a  censure  or  objection. —  TOR'MENT, 

61  Literally,  a  cutting  up. 

52  The  A  in  this  word  is  the  A  privative  or  negative.    Atom 
therefore  signifies  a  thing  which  cannot  be  cut  or  divided. 
83  The  Greek  word  epitome  signifies  a  lopping  or  curtailing. 
54  Literally,  a  section,  or  part  cut  off ;  a  portion  of  a  work. 


l82        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

extreme  pain. —  TORT'URE,  pain  inflicted  by  another ;  agony. 

—  TORT'UOUS,  crooked;  winding. 

To'tus,  whole;  all. 

TO'TAL,  the  whole. —  FACTO'TUM,  one  who  can  perform  all 
kinds  of  service. —  TO'TALLY,  wholly;  entirely. 

Trofdere  (trad'itum),  to  deliver. 

TRADITION,  that  which  is  handed  down  from  age  to  age  by 
oral  communication. —  TRAI'TOR  (F,  traitre),  one  who  de- 
livers his  country  to  its  enemy. 

Tra'here  (trac'tum),  to  draw. 

AB'STRACT,  a.  separate;  existing  in  the  mind  only. —  AB- 
STRACT', v,  to  draw  from;  to  separate. —  ATTRACT',  to  draw 
to ;  to  allure. —  ATTRACT'IVE,  engaging. —  CONTRACT',  to 
draw  together. —  DETRACT',  to  take  from  the  reputation  or 
value  of  anything. —  DISTRACT',  to  draw  apart ;  to  separate ; 
to  throw  into  confusion. —  DISTRAC'TION,  confusion;  de- 
rangement of  reason. —  EXTRACT',  to  draw  out. —  PRO- 
TRACT', to  prolong. —  RETRACT',  to  draw  or  take  back. — 
SUBTRACT^  to  deduct. —  SUB'TRAHEND,  the  number  to  be 
deducted. —  TRACE,  a  mark  left  by  anything  passing. — 
TRACK,  a  foot-print;  a  path. —  TRACT,  a  region;  a  small 
treatise. —  TRACT'ABLE,  that  may  be  easily  led,  managed,  or 
taught. 

Tre'mere,  to  shake. 

TREM'BLE,  to  quake;  to  totter. —  TREMEN'DOUS,  fitted  to  ex- 
cite trembling;  terrible. —  TRE'MOR,  a  trembling. —  TREM'- 
ULOUS,  shaking;  quivering. 

Tres  (tri'a),  three. 

TRIP'LE,  threefold. —  TRI'AD,  the  union  of  three. —  TRI'ANGLE, 
a  figure  having  three  angles. —  TRI'DENT,  an  instrument 
having  three  prongs. —  TRIN'ITY,  a  union  of  three  in  one. 

—  TRI'O,  a  passage  in  music  for  three  performers. —  TRI'- 
POD,  a  three-legged  stool. —  TRIV'IAL,  unimportant. 

Tribue're  (tribu'tum),  to  render  or  give. 
TRIB'UTE,  a  tax  paid  to  a  conqueror. —  ATTRIB'UTE,  to  as- 
cribe.—  CONTRIB'UTE,  to  give  in  common   with   others. — 
DISTRIB'UTE,  to   divide ;   to   dispense. —  RETRIBU'TION,   re- 
ward or  punishment. 

Trop'os  (G),  a  turning. 
TROPE,  a  figurative  turning  of  a  word  from  its  ordinary  sig- 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM   LATIN   AND   GREEK        183 

nification. —  TROP'IC,  the  point  at  which  the  sun  appears  to 
turn  again  toward  the  equator. 

Tru'dere  (tru'sum),  to  thrust;  to  push. 
ABSTRUSE',  difficult  to  be  comprehended  or  understood. —  IN- 
TRUDE', to  thrust  one's  self  in;  to  encroach. —  INTRU'SIVE, 
entering  without  right. —  OBTRUDE',  to  thrust  in  or  on. — 
OBTRU'SIVE,  bold ;  coming  uninvited. —  PROTRUDED  to  thrust 
forward. 

Tu'ber,  a  swelling;  an  excrescence. 

PROTU'BERANCE,  a  prominence;  a  swelling. —  TU'BERCLE,  a 
small  tumor. 

Tu'eor  (tui'tus),  to  view;  to  guard. 

INTUI'TION,  immediate  perception  of  truth. —  TUI'TION,  in- 
struction ;  guardianship. —  TU'TELAR,  protecting. —  TU'TOR, 
an  instructor  or  guardian. 

Tu'mere,  to  swell. 

TU'MID,  swollen;  pompous. —  TU'MOR,  a  swelling. —  CON'- 
TUMACY,  stubbornness;  contempt  of  authority. —  CON'- 
TUMELY,  insolence;  contemptuous  language. —  CONTUMA'- 
cious,  obstinate;  perverse. —  TOMB  (L  tu'mulus,  a  mound), 
a  grave;  a  place  of  burial. —  ENTOMB',  to  put  into  a  tomb; 
to  bury. —  TU'MULT,  a  commotion. 

Tun'dere  (tu'sum),  to  beat;  to  bruise. 
CONTU'SION,  a  bruise. —  OBTUSE',  blunted;  dull. 

Tu'pos  (G),  a  shape,  figure,  or  model. 

TYPE,  an  emblem;  a  model  or  form  of  a  letter,  used  in  print- 
ing.—  TYP'ICAL,  symbolical. —  TYP'IFY,  to  represent  by  fig- 
ure or  symbol. —  TYPOG'RAPHY,  the  art  or  operation  of 
printing. 

Tu/ba,  a  crowd ;  a  bustle. 

DISTURB',  to  disquiet. —  DISTURBANCE,  confusion. —  PERTUR- 
BA'TION,  disquiet  or  agitation  of  mind. —  I M PERTURB' ABLE, 
not  to  be  disquieted. —  TROUB'LE,  perplexity. —  TUR'BID, 
muddy;  not  clean. —  TUR'BULENCE,  insubordination;  vio- 
lence. 

Tur'gere,  to  be  inflated. 

TUR'GID,  bloated;  tumid;  pompous. —  TURGID'ITY,  bombast, 
inflated  style. 

Tu/ris,  a  tower. 
TUR'RET,  a  little  tower. —  TUR'RETED,  furnished  with  turrets. 


184  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

Ul'timus,  last. 

UI/TIMATE,  furthest;  final;  last. —  UI/TIMATELY,  finally;  in 
the  end. —  ULTIMA'TUM,  a  final  proposition. —  ULTE'RIOR 
(L,  comparative),  further. 

Um'bra,  a  shade. 

UMBRA'GEOUS,  shady. —  UM'BRAGE,  suspicion  of  injury;  of- 
fence.—  UMBREL'LA,  a  shade  or  screen  carried  in  the  hand. 

Un'da,  wave. 

UN'DULATE,  to  have  a  motion  like  that  of  waves. —  ABOUND' 
(L,  abun'do),  to  be  in  great  plenty. —  ABUND'ANCE,  plenty. 

—  INUN'DATE,  to  flow  upon;  to  overflow. —  REDUND'ANT, 
literally,  flowing  back;  superfluous. 

Un'guere  (unc'tum),  to  anoint. 

UN'GUENT,  ointment. —  UNC'TION,  an  anointing. —  UNC'TU- 
ous,  oily;  having  an  oily  consistency. 

U'nus,  one. 

U'NIT,  a  single  thing. —  UNITE',  to  make  one;  to  join. — 
U'NITY,  oneness. —  UNANIM'ITY,  agreement  in  opinion. — 
UNIFORM'ITY,  sameness;  regularity. —  U'NION,  conjunc- 
tion; agreement. —  UNIQUE'  (F),  sole;  without  another 
of  the  kind. —  U'NISON,  concord  of  sounds;  perfect  har- 
mony.—  U'NiVERSE,55  the  whole  system  of  created  things. 

—  UNIVERS'AL,  all;  whole;  comprehending  the  whole. 

U'tor  (u'sus},  to  use. 

UTIL'ITY,  profitableness;  advantage. —  USE,  to  employ. — 
ABUSE',  to  use  improperly. —  DISUSE',  cessation  of  use  or 
practice. —  MISUSE',  to  treat  ill. —  PERUSE',  to  read. — 
U'SAGE,  custom;  treatment. —  USE'FUL,  beneficial;  profit- 
able.—  U'SUAL,  customary;  ordinary. —  U'SURY,  illegal  or 
exorbitant  interest. —  USURP'  (L,  usu/po),  to  seize  with- 
out right. —  UTEN'SIL,  that  which  is  used;  an  instrument. 

Va'dere  (vafsum),  to  go. 
EVADE',  to  escape;  to  elude. —  EVA'SION,  an  artifice  to  elude. 

—  INVADE',   to   enter    as   an    enemy. —  PERVADE',   to   pass 
through;  to  permeate. 

Va'gus,  wandering. 
EXTRAVAGANT,    going    beyond    proper    limits. —  EXTRA  VA- 

65  The  Latin  word  univer'sus  signifies  literally  —  turned  into 
one,  collected  into  one  whole. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        185 

GANCE,  excess. —  VAG'ABOND  (L,  vagabun'dus),  a  wan- 
derer ;  an  outcast. —  VAGA'RY,  a  wandering  of  the  thoughts. 
—  VA'GRANT,  wandering;  having  no  home. —  VAGUE,  un- 
settled; indefinite. 

Va'lere,  to  be  strong;  to  have  force  or  value. 
AVAIL',  to  be  of  use;  to  have  effect. —  AVAIL'ABLE,  that  may 
be  used  with  success  or  advantage. —  CONVALESCENT,  re- 
covering health  and  strength. —  EQUIVALENT,  of  equal 
force  or  value. —  INVAL'ID,  a.  of  no  force. —  IN'VALID,  n. 
an  infirm  person. —  INVALIDATE,  to  lessen  the  force  of. — 
PREVAIL',  to  overcome;  to  gain  influence. —  VALEDIC- 
TORY," a  farewell  address. —  VALETUDINA'RIAN,  a  person 
seeking  health. —  VAL'IANT,  brave;  strong. — VAL'ID,  ef- 
fectual ;  having  force. —  VAL'OR,  bravery ;  prowess. — 
VAL'UE,  worth;  importance. —  INVAL'UABLE,  precious 
above  estimation. 

Ve'here  (vecftum),  to  carry. 

VE'HICLE,  a  carriage. —  CON'VEX,  swelling;  spherical. —  CON- 
VEY^ to  carry. —  INVEIGH',  to  rail  against;  to  reproach. — 
INVEC'TIVE,  censure;  reproach. 

Vel'lere,  (vul'sum),  to  pluck;  to  tear. 

AVUL'SION,  a  rending ;  separation  of  parts  from  each  other. — 
CONVUL'SION,  violent  muscular  contraction. 

Vel'lere,  to  cover;  to  conceal. 

VEIL,  a  curtain;  a  covering. —  DEVEL'OP,  to  unfold;  to  dis- 
close.—  ENVEL'OP,  to  wrap  up. —  REVEAL',  to  disclose ;  to 
make  known. —  REVELA'TION,  a  disclosing  what  was  hid- 
den. 

Ven'dere,  to  sell. 

VEND,  to  sell. —  VEND'ER,  a  seller. —  VENDUE',  an  auction. — 
VE'NAL  (L,  ve'neo,  to  be  sold),  mercenary;  that  may  be 
obtained  for  money. 

Veni're  (ven'tum),  to  come. 

AD'VENT,  a  coming,  appropriately,  the  coming  of  the  Mes- 
siah.—  ADVENT'URE,  an  enterprise  of  hazard. —  AVENUE,  a 
passage. —  CIRCUMVENT',  to  come  round ;  to  deceive  by 
stratagem. —  CONVENE',  to  assemble. —  CONVENTION,  a 
coming  together. —  CON'VENT,  a  household  of  monks  or 
nuns. —  CONVENIENT,  fit;  suitable;  commodious. —  CON- 

M  From  va'le,  farewell,  and  di'co,  to  speak. 


1 86  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

VEN'TIONAL,  agreed  upon. —  COVENANT,  a  mutual  agree- 
ment or  stipulation. —  EVENT',  that  which  happens  or  takes 
place. —  EVENTUALLY,  in  the  event  or  issue. —  INTERVENE', 
to  come  between. —  INVENT',  literally,  to  come  upon;  to 
devise. —  PREVENT',"  to  hinder ;  to  obstruct. —  SUPERVENE', 
to  come  in  addition. —  VEN'TURE,  to  run  a  hazard ;  to  dare. 

Ven'ter  (ven'tris),  the  belly. 

VENTRIL'OQUIST,  literally,  one  who  speaks  from  the  stomach 
or  belly. —  VENTRIL'OQUISM,  a  management  of  the  voice  so 
that  it  seems  to  come  from  different  directions. 

Ven'tus,  the  wind. 

VENT,  n.  an  air-hole. —  VENT,  v.  to  let  out;  to  pour  out. — 
VEN'TILATE,  to  afford  free  circulation  of  air. 

Ver'bum,  a  word. 

VERB'AL,  spoken;  expressed  in  words. —  VERB,  a  part  of 
speech. —  VERBOSE',  full  of  words. —  VERB'IAGE,  supera- 
bundance of  words. —  AD'vERB,58  a  part  of  speech. —  PROV'- 
ERB,  a  maxim;  a  brief  saying. —  VERBA'TIM  (L),  word  for 
word. 

Ve'reor,  to  fear. 

REVERE',  to  regard  with  fear  and  respect. —  REFERENT,  im- 
pressed with  reverence. —  REV'EREND,  worthy  of  rever- 
ence; a  clerical  title. 

Ve/gere,  to  turn  or  tend  towards. 
VERGE,  to  tend ;  to  incline. —  CONVERGE',  to  tend  to  one  point. 

—  DIVERGE',  to  separate  or  recede  more  and  more. 

Ver'mis,  a  worm. 

VER'MIFORM,  having  the  shape  or  form  of  a  worm. —  VER'- 
MIFUGE,  a  medicine  that  destroys  worms  in  animal  bodies. 

—  VERM'IN,  noxious  animals,  insects,  etc. 

Ver'tere  (yer'sum),  to  turn. 

ADVERT',  to  turn  the  attention  to. —  INADVERT'ENCE,  heedless- 
ness. —  AD'VERSE,  opposed;  hostile. —  ADVERS'ITY,  calamity; 
affliction. —  AD'VERSARY,  an  enemy. —  ADVERTISE',  to  pub- 
lish a  notice. —  ANIMADVER'SION,  a  criticism;  a  censure. — 
AVERT',  to  turn  away. —  AVER'SION,  disinclination;  dislike. 

67  Literally,  to  come  before ;  it  is  used  in  this  sense  in  the  New 
Testament,  I  Thess.  4:  15. 

68  Literally,  a  word  joined  to  another  word. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM   LATIN   AND   GREEK        l8/ 

—  CON'TROVERT,    to   oppose    in    argument. —  CONVERT',   to 
change   from  one   state   to  another. —  CONVERSE',  to  dis- 
course   or    associate    with. —  CON'VERSE,    familiar    inter- 
course ;  an  opposite  proposition. —  DIVERT',  to  turn  off ;  to 
amuse. —  DI'VERSE,     different ;     various. —  DIVERS'IFY,     to 
vary. —  DIVORCE',  a  legal  dissolution  of  the  bonds  of  matri- 
mony.—  IRREVERSIBLE,  that  cannot  be  revoked  or  changed. 

—  INVERT',  to  turn  into  the  contrary  position. —  PERVERT^ 
to  turn  to  a  wrong  use. —  PERVERSE',  obstinately  wrong. — 
REVERT',  to  turn  back. —  REVERSE',  to  change  to  an  opposite 
direction. —  SUBVERT',  to  overthrow  from  the  foundation. 

—  TRANSVERSE',    lying    across. —  TRAV'ERSE,    to    cross;    to 
pass  over. —  VERS'ATILE,  easily  turned  from  one  employ- 
ment to  another. —  VERSE,59  a  line  of  poetry;  a  short  divi- 
sion   of    any    composition. —  VER'siON,60    a    translation. — 
VERT'EBRA   (L,  plural  vert'ebra),  a  joint  of  the  spine. — 
VER'TEX,"  (L),  the  top. 

Ve'rus,  true. 

VER'ITY,  truth. —  VERAC'ITY,  habitual  observance  of  truth. — 
VER'DICT,  the  report  of  a  jury. —  VER'IFY,  to  prove  to  be 
true. —  VER'ITABLE,  true;  genuine. 

Vestig'ium,  a  foot-step. 
VES'TIGE,  a  track ;  a  trace. —  INVESTIGATE,  to  search  into. 

Ves'tis,  a  garment. 

INVEST',  to  clothe. —  VEST,  to  put  in  possession  of;  to  furnish 
with. —  VEST'URE,  a  robe. —  VEST'RY,  a  room  in  which  the 
sacerdotal  vestments  are  kept. 

Ve'tus  (veferis),  old;  ancient. 

VET'ERAN,  an  old  soldier. —  INVET'ERATE,  fixed  by  long  con- 
tinuance. 

Vi'a,  a  way. 

DE'VIATE,  to  turn  aside  from  the  path. —  DE'VIOUS,  wander- 
ing.—  Ofi'viATE,62  to  remove. —  Ofi'vious,83  evident. —  PER'- 
vious,64  penetrable. —  IMPER'VIOUS,  not  to  be  penetrated  or 

59  A  furrow  was  anciently  called  ver'sus,  because  at  the  end  of 
it  the  plough  was  turned  round ;  hence,  a  line  in  writing,  from  its 
resemblance  to  a  furrow,  received  the  same  name. 

60  Literally,  a  turning  from  one  language  into  another. 

61  The  turning-point. 

62 Properly,  to  meet  in  the  way  and  oppose  or  conquer;  hence 
to  put  an  obstacle  out  of  the  way. 

63  Meeting  one  in  the  way. 

64  Admitting  a  way  or  passage  through. 


1 88        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

passed  through. —  PRE'VIOUS,  antecedent. —  TRiv'iAL,65  un- 
important.—  VI'ADUCT,  a  structure  supporting  a  carriage- 
way or  railway. 

Vi'cis,  change;  succession. 

VIC/AR,  a  substitute. —  VICA'RIOUS,  acting  for  another. — 
VICEGE'RENT,  a  deputy. —  VICE-PRES'IDENT,  one  who  takes 
the  place  of  a  president. 

Vide' re  (vi'sum),  to  see. 

VIS'ION,  sight. —  VIS'IBLE,  that  can  be  seen. —  VIS'IONARY, 
imaginary. —  VIS'IT,  to  go  to  see. —  VIS'UAL,  pertaining  to 
sight. —  VIS'AGE,  the  countenance. —  VIS'TA  (L),  a  view  or 
prospect. —  VI'DE  (L),  see. —  EV'IDENT,  apparent;  clear. — 
INVISIBLE,  not  to  be  seen. —  PROVIDE',  to  prepare. —  PROV/- 
IDENCE,  forethought;  prudence. —  PROVI'SO  (L),  an  excep- 
tion provided  for. —  REVISE',  to  examine  again. —  SUPEK- 
VIS'ION,  oversight. 

Vi'gere,  to  flourish ;  to  thrive. 
VIG'OR,  strength;  energy. —  INVIG'ORATE,  to  strengthen. 

V in' cere  (vicftim),  to  conquer. 

CONVINCE',  to  persuade. —  CONVIC'TION,  the  state  of  being 
convinced ;  belief. —  CONVICT',  to  prove  one  to  be  guilty. — 
CON'VICT,  a  person  found  guilty. —  INVIN'CIBLE,  unconquer- 
able.—  VAN'QUISH,  to  conquer. —  VIC'TOR,  a  conqueror. — 
VIC'TORY,  success  over  an  enemy. —  VIC/TIM,  a  living  be- 
ing sacrificed. 

Vin'dex  (vin'dicis),  a  defender  or  avenger. 
VIN'DICATE,  to  defend;  to  sustain. —  VINDICATIVE,  revenge- 
ful.—  REVENGED  to  return  an  injury. —  VEN'GEANCE   (F), 
recompense  of  evil. 

Vi'num,  wine. 

VINE,  the  plant  that  produces  grapes. —  VIN'EGAR,  vege- 
table acid. —  VINE'YARD,  a  plantation  of  grapevines. —  Vi'- 
NOUS,  having  the  qualities  of  wine. —  VINT'AGE,  the  gather- 
ing of  the  crop  of  grapes. 

Vir,  a  man. 

VI'RILE,  masculine. —  VIRA'GO  (L),  a  woman  of  masculine 
type. —  VIR'TUE  (L,  vir'tus'),  efficiency;  excellence. 

65  The  Romans  worshiped  some  of  their  minor  deities  at  places 
where  three  roads  met;  which  deities  were  thence  called  Di'i 
Trii/ii.  Thus  the  word  trivial  derived  the  signification  secondary; 
unimportant. 


WORDS   DERIVED   FROM    LATIN   AND   GREEK        189 

Vi'rus,  poison;  venom. 
VIR'ULENCE,  malignancy. —  VIR'ULENT,  malignant ;  venomous. 

Vita' re,  to  shun;  to  avoid. 
INEVITABLE,  unavoidable. —  INEVITABLY,  certainly. 

Vi'trum,  glass. 

VIT'REOUS,  resembling  glass. —  VIT'RIFY,  to  convert  into 
glass. 

Vi'vere  (vie' turn),  to  live. 
CONVIVIAL,  festal ;  social. —  REVIVE',  to  live  again ;  to  arouse. 

—  SURVIVE',  to   outlive. —  VICT'UALS,    food ;   provisions. — 
VI'TAL  (L  vi'ta,  life),  pertaining  to  life. —  VIVAC'ITY,  live- 
liness.—  VIV'ID,  lively;  bright. —  ViViFY,  to  endure  with 
life. 

V  oca' re  (voca'tum),  to  call. 
AD'VOCATE,  a  pleader. —  AVOCA'TION,  a  calling  or  employment. 

—  CONVOCATION,  an  essembly. —  INVOKE',  to  pray  to. —  IN- 
VOCA'TION,  a  solemn  address  or  prayer. —  PROVOCATION,  a 
calling  out;  an  incitement. —  REVOKE',  to  call  back;  to  re- 
peal.—  IRREVOCABLE,  that  cannot  be  repealed. —  VO'CAL  (L, 
vox  (vo'cis},  the  voice),  pertaining  to  the  voice;  uttered 
by    the    voice. —  VOCA'TION,    a    business    or    profession. — 
VOCIF'ERATE,  to  cry  out  loudly. —  VOICE  (F,  voix),  sound 
uttered  by  the  mouth. 

Vola' re  (vola' turn),  to  fly. 

VOL'ATILE,  easily  evaporated ;  gay ;  fickle. —  VOL'LEY,  a  flight 
of  shot;  a  burst  or  an  emission  of  many  things  at  once. 

Vo'lere,  to  will ;  to  wish. 

BENEVOLENCE,  good  will. —  MALEVOLENCE,  ill  will. —  VOL'- 
UNTARY,  acting  from  choice. —  VOLUNTEER',  n.  a  voluntary 
soldier. 

Volup'tas,  pleasure. 

VOLUP'TUOUS,  given  to  luxury  and  pleasure. —  VOLUP'TU- 
ARY,  a  person  devoted  to  pleasure. 

Vol'vere  (volu'tum),  to  roll. 

DEVOLVE',  literally,  to  roll  down;  to  deliver  over;  to  pass 
from  one  to  another. —  EVOLVE',  to  unroll;  to  unfold. — IN- 
VOLVE', to  envelop;  to  infold. —  REVOLT',  to  renounce  alle- 
giance.—  REVOLVE',  to  roll  in  a  circle. —  REVOLUTION,  rota- 
tion; an  entire  change. —  VOL'UBLE,  rolling;  fluent. —  VOL'- 
UME,  primarily,  a  roll ;  a  book. 


GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

Vora're,  to  devour. 

DEVOUR',  to  eat  up  greedily. —  VOEAC'ITY,  greediness  of  ap- 
petite.—  VORA'CIOUS,  ravenous. —  CARNIV'OROUS,  feeding 
on  flesh. 

Vo'vere  (vo'tum),  to  vow. 

Avow',  to  declare  openly. —  DEVOTE',  to  dedicate ;  to  set  apart. 
—  DEVOUT',  earnest  in  worship. —  VO'TARY,  one  devoted  or 
addicted. —  VOTE,  suffrage;  a  ballot. 

Vul'gus,  the  common  people. 

VUL'GAR,  common;  unrefined. —  VULGAR'ITY,  grossness  or 
clownishness. —  VUL'GARISM,  a  vulgar  phrase  or  expres- 
sion.—  DIVULGE',  to  make  public. 

Vul'nus  (vul'neris),  a  wound. 

VULNERABLE,  that  may  be  wounded. —  INVUL'NERABLE,  that 
cannot  be  wounded. 

Xu'lon  (G),  wood. 
XYLOG'RAPHY,  the  art  of  engraving  on  wood. 

Zo'on  (G),  an  animal. 

ZOOL'OGY,  the  science  or  description  of  animals. —  ZOON'OMY, 
the  science  of  naming  (i.e.  classifying)  animal  life. —  Zo'- 
OPHYTE  (G,  a  plant),  a  body  partaking  of  the  properties 
both  of  an  animal  and  a  vegetable. 


THIRD  PART 
.  CHAPTER  I 
THE  ART  OF  PUNCTUATION 

The  Uses  of  Punctuation. —  Punctuation  has  two  uses : 
it  enables  us  more  easily  to  seize  the  meaning  of  a  writer 
and  it  prevents  ambiguity. 

A  writer's  thoughts  are  expressed  by  a  number  of  words 
arranged  in  groups,  the  words  in  one  group  being  more 
closely  connected  with  one  another  than  they  are  with 
those  in  the  next  group.  An  example  will  show  this 
grouping  in  its  simplest  form : 

He  never  convinces  the  reason,  or  fills  the  imagination,  or 
touches  the  heart. 

To  understand  what  is  written,  the  reader  must  group 
the  words  together  in  the  way  intended  by  the  writer; 
and  in  doing  this  he  can  receive  assistance  in  various 
ways:  partly  by  the  inflection  of  the  words,  partly  by 
their  arrangement,  partly  by  punctuation.  Scrupulous 
care  is  needed  in  the  arrangement  of  words  in  order  to 
bring  together  in  position  such  as  are  connected  in  mean- 
ing. 

Ambiguity. —  Words  may  convey  different  meanings 
according  as  they  are  differently  grouped ;  and  it  is  pos- 
sible to  show  by  the  use  of  points  which  of  two  or  more 
modes  of  grouping  is  the  one  intended. 

We  might  add  a  third  use  of  punctuation:  to  mark 
the  pauses  that  would  be  made  in  speaking.  But  this  is 
hardly  a  distinct  use.  The  pause  is  one  of  the  means 
whereby  our  spoken  words  are  understood  with  greater 

191 


192        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

ease  and  are  freed  from  ambiguity ;  and  that,  as  we  have 
already  seen,  is  the  aim  of  punctuation. 

General  Rules. —  Let  us  set  aside  the  third  use,  as  be- 
ing what  we  may  call  the  luxury  of  punctuation,  and  keep 
to  the  first  two  uses.  We  can  form  two  rules  to  guide  us 
when  we  are  in  doubt  which  point  we  should  insert,  or 
whether  we  should  insert  a  point  at  all. 

(1)  The    point    that    will    keep    the    passage    most    free 
from  ambiguity,  or  make  it  easiest  to  read,  is  the  right  point 
to  use. 

(2)  //  the  passage  be  perfectly  free  from  ambiguity,  and 
be  not  less  easy   to  understand  without  any  point,  let  no 
point  be  used. 

The  Relativity  of  Points. —  In  order  to  decide  in  any 
given  case  what  point  ought  to  be  used,  we  begin  by 
considering  the  nature  of  the  pause  in  itself.  But  we 
must  do  more.  We  must  consider  how  we  have  pointed 
the  rest  of  the  passage.  The  pause  that  should  be  marked 
by  a  comma  in  one  case  may  require  a  semicolon  in  an- 
other case;  the  colon  may  take  the  place  that  the  semi- 
colon would  usually  fill.  This  will  be  best  understood 
by  means  of  the  examples  that  will  afterward  be  given. 

Usage. —  Except  within  narrow  limits,  usage  is  not  of 
much  help.  Different  writers  have  different  methods, 
and  few  punctuate  consistently.  To  some  extent  there  is 
a  fair  degree  of  uniformity;  for  instance,  in  the  placing 
of  colons  before  quotations,  and  in  the  use  of  inverted 
commas.  But  in  many  cases  any  fixed  usage  can  hardly 
be  mentioned. 

In  giving  rules  of  punctuation  we  cannot  hope  to  deal 
with  all  the  cases  that  may  arise  in  writing.  We  can 
therefore  set  forth  only  some  typical  cases,  forming  a 
body  of  examples  to  which  a  little  reflection  will  suggest 
a  variety  both  of  applications  and  of  exceptions. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  this  work  does  not  take  the  points 
exactly  in  their  order  of  strength.  It  deals  with  the 
period  before  passing  to  the  punctuation  of  the  parts  of  a 


THE   ART   OF   PUNCTUATION  193 

sentence.  Strictly  speaking,  italics  do  not  form  part  of 
the  subject  of  punctuation;  but  they  are  so  intimately 
connected  with  it  that  to  pass  them  over  would  be  to  leave 
an  important  point  untouched. 

THE   PERIOD 

i.  A  period  is  placed  at  the  end  of  every  sentence  that 
is  neither  exclamatory  nor  interrogative : 

A  penal  statute  is  virtually  annulled  if  the  penalties  which  it 
imposes  are  regularly  remitted  as  often  as  they  are  in- 
curred. The  sovereign  was  undoubtedly  competent  to  remit 
penalties  without  limit.  He  was,  therefore,  competent  to 
annul  virtually  a  penal  statute.  It  might  seem  that  there 
could  be  no  serious  objection  to  his  doing  formally  what  he 
might  do  virtually. 

The  steps  of  reasoning  in  this  example  are  stated  with 
that  distinct  pause  between  each  of  them  which  the  reader 
would  make  if  he  thought  them  out  for  himself.  They 
might  be  welded  together  thus  : 

Seeing  that  a  penal  statute  is  virtually  annulled  if  the  pen- 
alties which  it  imposes  are  regularly  remitted  as  often  as 
they  are  incurred,  and  seeing  that  the  sovereign  was  un- 
doubtedly competent  to  remit  penalties  without  limit,  it  fol- 
lows that  he  was  competent  to  annul  virtually  a  penal  statute ; 
and  it  might  seem  that  there  could  be  no  serious  objection 
to  his  doing  formally  what  he  might  do  virtually. 

Both  forms  are  correct  in  point  of  punctuation.  Which 
is  the  better  form  is  a  question  of  style.  Take  another 
example : 

The  sides  of  the  mountain  were  covered  with  trees;  the 
banks  of  the  brooks  were  diversified  with  flowers ;  every  blast 
shook  spices  from  the  rocks ;  and  every  month  dropped  fruits 
upon  the  ground. 

There  is  here  an  advantage  in  putting  these  four  state- 
ments together,  instead  of  making  four  separate  sen- 
tences. We  can  more  easily  combine  the  details,  and  so 
form  a  single  picture  —  a  picture  of  fertility. 


194  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN    GOOD   FORM 

2.  As  a  rule,  the  period  is  not  to  be  inserted  till  the 
sentence  be  grammatically  complete.     But  some  parts  of 
the  sentence  necessary  to  make  it  grammatically  complete 
may  be  left  for  the  reader  to  supply. 

It  is  well  said,  in  every  sense,  that  a  man's  religion  is 
the  chief  fact  with  regard  to  him.  A  man's,  or  a  nation 
of  men's.  By  religion  I  do  not  mean  here  the  church-creed 
which  he  professes,  the  articles  of  faith  which  he  will  sign 
and,  in  words  or  otherwise,  assert;  not  this  wholly,  in  many 
cases  not  this  at  all. 

3.  When  a  sentence  is  purposely  left  unfinished,  the 
dash  takes  the  place  of  the  period. 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  I,  "  but  I  am  a  sort  of  collector  — " 
"Not  Income-tax?"  cried  His  Majesty,  hastily  removing 
his  pipe  from  his  lips. 

4.  A  period  is  placed  after  most  abbreviations  and  after 
initial  letters  as : 

Gen.  i.  20;  two  Ibs. ;  A.  D.  1883;  3  P.  M.;  71  B.  c.,  1066  A.  D.  ; 
&c.,  and  etc.;  M.D.;  MS.,  LL.D.  (not  M.S.  and  L.L.D.).  A 
period  should  be  used  after  "  per  cent.,"  but  not  after  titles 
of  royalty:  William  II,  Louis  XIV,  etc.,  nor  after  numbers 
of  chapters. 

THE   COMMA 

5.  The  comma  indicates  a  short  pause  in  a  sentence, 
It  is  used  when  we  wish  to  separate  words  that  stand  to- 
gether, and  at  the  same  time  to  stop  as  little  as  possible 
the  flow  of  the  sentence. 

When  the  earl  reached  his  own  province,  he  found  that 
preparations  had  been  made  to  repel  him. 

Though  it  is  difficult,  or  almost  impossible,  to  reclaim  a 
savage,  bred  from  his  youth  to  war  and  the  chase,  to  the 
restraints  and  the  duties  of  civilized  life,  nothing  is  more 
easy  or  more  common  than  to  find  men  who  have  been  edu- 
cated in  all  the  habits  and  comforts  of  improved  society 
willing  to  exchange  them  for  the  wild  labours  of  the  hunter 
and  the  fisher. 


THE   ART    OF    PUNCTUATION  195 

6.  Where  there  is  no  danger  of  obscurity,  the  subject 
must  not  be  separated  from  the  predicate  by  any  point. 

The  eminence  of  your  station  gave  you  a  commanding  pros- 
pect of  your  duty. 

7.  When  the  subject  is  long,  a  comma  may  be  placed 
after  it. 

To  say  that  he  endured  without  a  murmur  the  misfortune 
that  now  came  upon  him,  is  to  say  only  what  his  previous 
life  would  have  led  us  to  expect. 

In  every  sentence  the  subject,  whether  expressed  in  one 
word  or  in  several  words,  must  be  grasped  as  a  whole; 
and,  when  the  subject  is  long,  one  is  often  assisted  in 
doing  this  by  having  a  point  to  mark  its  termination. 

8.  When  the  subject  consists  of  several  parts,  that  is, 
of  several  nouns,  a  comma  is  placed  after  the  last  part. 

A  few  daring  jests,  a  brawl,  and  a  fatal  stab,  make  up 
the  life  of  Marlowe. 

Time,  money,  and  friends,  were  needed  to  carry  on  the 
work. 

This  rule  will  appear  reasonable  if  we  consider  an  ap- 
parent exception  to  it.  When  the  last  noun  sums  up  all 
the  others,  or  marks  the  highest  point  of  a  climax,  no 
comma  is  placed  after  it. 

Freedom,  honour,  religion  was  at  stake. 

If  "  religion  "  be  regarded  as  marking  the  highest  point 
of  a  climax,  the  predicate  is  read  with  "  religion,"  and 
with  it  alone,  and  therefore  is  in  the  singular  number. 
When  so  great  a  thing  as  religion  is  said  to  be  at  stake, 
everything  else  is  dropped  out  of  sight,  or  is  held  to  be 
included.  But  if  one  writes  the  three  names  as  if  they 
were  of  equal  importance  the  comma  should  be  in- 
serted : 

Freedom,  honour,  and  religion,  were  at  stake. 


196  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

But  it  is  not  necessary  to  use  a  point  in  such  a  sentence 
as  this :  "  Time  and  tide  wait  for  no  man."  For  we  see 
without  the  aid  of  a  point  that  the  predicate  is  to  be  read 
with  the  two  nouns  equally. 

9.  Dependent  clauses  are  usually  separated  from  the 
rest  of  the  sentence  in  which  they  occur.  The  usual  point 
is  the  comma. 

Be  his  motives  what  they  may,  he  must  soon  disperse  his 
followers. 

This  relation  of  your  army  to  the  crown  will,  if  I  am  not 
greatly  mistaken,  become  a  serious  dilemma  in  your  politics. 

Of  course,  this  rule  must  be  qualified  by  the  rules  for 
the  stronger  point,  especially  by  those  for  the  semicolon 
and  the  colon.  It  is  often  necessary  to  separate  the 
clause  from  the  rest  of  the  sentence  by  a  strong  point. 

EXCEPTIONS. —  (i)  No  point  is  needed  if  either  the 
dependent  clause  or  the  principal  clause  be  short. 

He  would  be  shocked  if  he  were  to  know  the  truth. 

But  if  the  dependent  clause  be  inserted  parenthetically, 
however  short  it  may  be,  it  is  marked  off  by  commas  or 
the  other  marks  of  parenthesis. 

If  the  sentence  last  quoted  were  inverted,  a  comma 
would  be  placed  after  the  dependent  clause. 

If  he  were  to  know  the  truth,  he  would  be  shocked. 

In  the  first  form  of  this  example,  "  he  would  be 
shocked  "  is  a  definite,  finished  statement,  the  necessary 
qualification  to  which  should  follow  with  as  little  pause 
as  possible.  But  in  the  inverted  form,  the  first  part  of 
the  sentence  — "  if  he  were  to  know  the  truth  " —  is  not  a 
finished  statement,  and  the  mind  may  pause  for  a  moment 
before  going  on  to  the  consequence,  knowing  that  the 
consequence  must  follow. 

(2)  No  point  is  needed  if  a  very  close  grammatical 
connection  exists  between  the  dependent  clause  and  some 
word  or  words  preceding  it. 


THE   ART   OF   PUNCTUATION  197 

They  had  so  long  brooded  over  their  own  distresses  that 
they  knew  nothing  of  how  the  world  was  changing  around 
them. 

Note  that  by  the  word  "so"  the  clause  "that  they 
knew  nothing"  is  joined  very  closely  to  the  previous 
part  of  the  sentence ;  and  that  the  two  clauses  "  that  they 
knew  nothing  "  and  "  how  the  world  was  changing  around 
them,"  are  even  more  closely  joined  to  one  another  by  the 
preposition  "of."  For  the  same  reason,  where  the  ob- 
ject is  a  clause,  no  point  occurs  before  it. 

He  confessed  to  us  that  he  had  not  thought  over  the 
matter. 

10.  Words  thrown  in  so  as  to  interrupt  slightly  the 
flow  of  a  sentence  are  marked  off  by  commas. 

He  resolved,  therefore,  to  visit  the  prisoner  early  in  the 
morning. 

This,  I  think,  is  the  right  view  of  the  case. 

The  first  ideas  of  beauty  formed  by  the  mind  are,  in  all 
probability,  derived  from  colours. 

Where  the  words  thrown  in  make  a  very  distinct  break 
in  the  sentence,  they  should  be  pointed  off  by  means  of 
the  dash,  but  this  rule  should  be  applied  very  sparingly. 

11.  Where  two  parts  of  a  sentence  have  some  words  in 
common  that  are  not  expressed  for  each  of  them,  but 
are  given  only  when  the  words  in  which  they  differ  have 
been  separately  stated,  the  second  part  is  marked  off  by 
commas. 

His  classification  is  different  from,  and  more  comprehen- 
sive than,  any  other  that  we  have  met 

This  foundation  is  a  nursing-mother  of  lay,  as  distinguished 
from  religious,  oratorios. 

These  examples  come  within  the  principle  of  Rule  10. 

12.  When  words  are  common  to  two  or  more  parts  of  a 
sentence,  and  are  expressed  only  in  one  part,  a  comma  is 
often  used  to  show  that  they  are  omitted  in  the  other 
parts. 


198  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

London  is  the  capital  of  England;  Paris,  of  France;  Ber- 
lin, of  Germany. 

In  the  worst  volume  of  elder  date,  the  historian  may  find 
something  to  assist  or  direct  his  enquiries ;  the  antiquarian, 
something  to  elucidate  what  requires  illustration ;  the  phi- 
lologist, something  to  insert  in  the  margin  of  his  dictionary. 

Though  many  writers  punctuate  contracted  sentences  in 
this  way,  it  is  well  not  to  insert  the  comma  when  the 
meaning  is  equally  clear  without  it.  It  is  unnecessary  in 
the  following  sentence: 

Saul  hath  slain  his  thousands,  and  David  his  ten  thou- 
sands. 

13.  Words  placed,  for  the  sake  of  emphasis  or  of  clear- 
ness, out  of  their  natural  position  in  the  sentence,  are  often 
followed  by  a  comma. 

(1)  The  object  is  usually  placed  after  the  verb;  when 
placed  at  the  beginning  of  the  sentence,  it  should  be  sepa- 
rated from  the  subject  by  a  comma,  unless  the  meaning 
would  otherwise  be  perfectly  clear  and  be  readily  seized. 

The  proportions  of  belief  and  of  unbelief  in  the  human 
mind  in  such  cases,  no  human  judgment  can  determine. 

There  is  the  same  reason  for  inserting  the  comma  in 
such  cases  as  there  is  for  inserting  it  after  a  long  subject. 
Moreover,  there  is  often  need  of  some  device  to  remove 
the  ambiguities  that  are  caused  by  inversion.  In  Eng- 
lish, the  meaning  of  words  is  so  greatly  determined  by 
their  position  that,  in  altering  the  usual  arrangement  of  a 
sentence,  there  is  risk  of  being  misunderstood. 

Of  course  no  point  should  be  placed  after  the  object 
in  such  a  sentence  as  the  following :  — "  One  I  love,  and 
the  other  I  hate." 

(2)  An  adverbial  phrase,  that  is,  a  phrase  used  as  an 
adverb,  is  usually  placed  after  the  verb;  when  it  begins 
the  sentence  a  comma  follows  it,  unless  it  is  very  short. 

In  order  to  gain  his  point,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  use  decep- 
tion. 


THE  ART   OF   PUNCTUATION  199 

In  ordinary  circumstances  I  should  have  acted  differently. 

No  point  would  be  used  in  these  sentences  if  the  ad- 
verbial phrases  occurred  in  their  usual  position. 

He  did  not  hesitate  to  use  deception  in  order  to  gain 
his  point. 

Nor  is  any  point  used  when,  as  often  happens  in  such 
sentences,  the  verb  precedes  the  subject. 

Not  very  far  from  the  foot  of  the  mountain  lies  the 
village  we  hope  to  reach. 

(3)  An  adjective  phrase,  that  is,  a  phrase  used  as  an 
adjective,  is  usually  placed  immediately  after  the  word 
that  it  qualifies;  when  it  appears  in  any  other  place  a 
comma  is  often  usefully  placed  before  it. 

A  question  was  next  put  to  the  assembly,  of  supreme  im- 
portance at  such  a  moment. 

The  phrase  "of  supreme  importance  at  such  a  mo- 
ment "  is  to  be  taken  along  with  "  question ;  "  the  comma 
shows  that  it  is  not  to  be  taken  along  with  "  assembly." 
There  is  here  a  further  reason  for  the  point,  inasmuch  as 
the  phrase  acquires  from  its  position  almost  the  impor- 
tance of  an  independent  statement.  But,  where  the  con- 
nection between  the  adjective  phrase  and  the  substantive  is 
very  close,  and  where  there  is  no  risk  of  ambiguity,  no 
point  is  to  be  used. 

14.  Adjective  clauses  and  contracted  adjective  clauses 
are  marked  off  by  commas,  if  they  are  used  parentheti- 
cally or  coordinately ;  no  point  is  used  if  they  are  used  re- 
strictively. 

The  "  Religio  Laici,"  which  borrows  its  title  from  the 
"Religio  Medici"  of  Browne,  is  almost  the  only  work  of 
Dryden  that  can  be  considered  as  a  voluntary  effusion. 

That  sentiment  of  homely  benevolence  was  worth  all  the 
splendid  sayings  that  are  recorded  of  kings. 

The  advocates  for  this  revolution,  not  satisfied  with  ex- 
aggerating the  vices  of  their  ancient  government,  strike  at 
the  fame  of  their  country  itself. 


2OO        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Chapter  VII,  where  we  stopped  reading,  is  full  of  interest. 
The  chapter  where  we  stopped  reading  is  full  of  interest. 

Examine  the  first  sentence  quoted.  It  contains  both  a 
coordinate  clause,  "  Which  borrows  its  title,"  etc.,  and  a 
restrictive  clause,  "  Which  can  be  considered  as  a  volun- 
tary effusion."  In  distinguishing  them  we  may  begin  by 
applying  tests  of  almost  a  mechanical  nature. 

(a)  The  first  clause  may  be  thrown  into  the  form  of  an 
independent  statement ;  the  second  cannot.  Thus :  "  The 
'  Religio  Laici '  borrows  its  title  from  the  '  Religio  Medici ' 
of  Browne.  It  is  almost  the  only  work,"  etc. ;  or,  "  The 
'Religio  Laici'  (it  borrows  its  title  from  the  'Religio 
Medici '  of  Browne)  is  almost  the  only  work,"  etc.  We 
cannot  in  the  same  way  destroy  the  close  connection  of 
the  second  clause  with  "  the  only  work  of  Dryden." 

(6)  The  first  clause  may  be  omitted  and  still  leave  a 
complete  and  intelligible  sentence;  if  we  were  to  omit 
the  second  clause,  the  sentence  would  cease  to  have  any 
meaning. 

The  name  "  Religio  Laici "  of  itself  tells  us  what  thing 
is  spoken  about.  It  is  the  name  of  one  thing,  and  only 
of  one  thing.  The  clause  that  follows  informs  us,  indeed, 
of  a  fact  concerning  the  poem;  but  the  information  is 
given  purely  as  information,  not  in  order  to  keep  us  from 
confounding  this  "  Religio  Laici  "  with  some  other  "  Re- 
ligio Laici "  that  did  not  borrow  its  title.  "  Work  of 
Dryden,"  however,  is  the  name  of  a  class,  for  Dryden 
wrote  many  works.  Now,  the  whole  class  is  not  here  in 
question;  it  must  be  limited,  narrowed,  or  restricted,  to 
one  part  of  it,  namely,  to  Dryden's  voluntary  effusions; 
and  it  is  thus  limited,  narrowed,  or  restricted,  by  the  rela- 
tive clause  "  which  can  be  considered  as  a  voluntary  ef- 
fusion." 

Take  another  example,  where  the  name  in  both  cases  is 
that  of  a  class,  and  note  the  difference  of  meaning  which 
results  from  different  pointing :  — "  The  houses  in  London 
which  are  badly  built,  should  be  pulled  down."  "  The 


THE   ART   OF   PUNCTUATION  2OI 

houses  in  London  "  expresses  a  class  of  objects;  the  rela- 
tive clause  limits  the  name  to  a  smaller  class,  the  badly 
built  houses;  and  the  meaning  is,  that  houses  of  this 
smaller  class  should  be  pulled  down.  Now  insert  the 
comma :  — "  The  houses  in  London,  which  are  badly  built, 
should  be  pulled  down."  The  class  is  not  narrowed ;  and 
the  meaning  is,  that  all  houses  in  London,  seeing  they  are 
badly  built,  should  be  pulled  down. 

A  single  adjective  may  be  used  coordinately : 

"  What !  "  replied  the  Emperor,  "  you  do  not  see  it  ?    It  is 
my  star,  brilliant." 

In  this  case  a  dash  would  be  more  expressive. 

Note  that  the  rule  applies  only  where  the  adjunct 
immediately  follows  the  substantive.  If  the  adjunct  is 
placed  elsewhere,  different  considerations  apply.  See 
Rule  13.  (3). 

Neither  can  any  man  marvel  at  the  play  of  puppets,  that 
goeth  behind  the  curtain  and  adviseth  well  of  the  motion. 

15.  Words  in  apposition  are  usually  marked  off  by 
commas. 

James  Watt,  the  great  improver  of  the  steam-engine,  died 
on  August  25,  1819. 

But  where  the  words  in  apposition  are  used  in  a  limit- 
ing or  distinguishing  sense,  the  principle  of  Rule  14 
applies,  and  no  point  is  used.  Thus  we  should  write 
"  Burns,  the  poet,"  "  Dickens,  the  novelist ; "  but,  if  we 
wished  to  distinguish  them  from  another  Burns  and  an- 
other Dickens,  we  should  omit  the  comma. 

It  is  of  Pliny  the  naturalist,  not  of  Pliny  the  letter-writer, 
that  we  are  now  speaking. 

Again,  where  the  general  name  precedes,  we  should 
in  most  cases  use  no  point,  for  the  special  name  will  be 
restrictive :  "  the  poet  Burns,"  "  the  novelist  Dickens." 

1 6.  A   conjunction   marks  a  transition   to  something 


2O2  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

new  —  enforcing,  qualifying,  or  explaining,  what  has  gone 
before,  and  is  therefore  usually  preceded  by  some  point. 
The  proper  point  before  a  conjunction  is  determined  by 
many  circumstances :  among  others,  by  the  degree  of  con- 
nection between  the  things  joined,  by  the  number  of 
words,  and  by  the  use  of  points  for  other  purposes  in 
the  same  sentence.  To  deal  with  the  different  conjunc- 
tions, one  by  one,  would  involve  a  repetition  of  much 
that  is  said  in  other  rules.  For  instance,  */,  unless, 
though,  for,  because,  since,  and  the  like,  will  be  pointed  in 
accordance  with  stated  rules.  It  will  be  well,  however,  to 
lay  down  separate  rules  for  the  pointing  of  the  common 
conjunctions,  and  and  or. 

AND. — (a)  Where  "and"  joins  two  single  words, 
as  a  rule  no  point  is  used. 

No  work  has  been  so  much  studied  and  discussed. 

Compare  this  with  the  following  sentence,  where  groups 
of  words  are  joined. 

The  work  has  been   much   studied,   and   has  been  much 
discussed. 

In  the  following  sentence  the  insertion  of  a  comma 
would  change  the  meaning. 

On  this  shelf  you  will  put  books  and  pamphlets  published 
in  the  present  year. 

As  the  sentence  stands,  "  published  in  the  present  year  " 
applies  both  to  books  and  to  pamphlets :  books  published  in 
the  present  year,  and  pamphlets  published  in  the  present 
year.  If  there  were  a  comma  before  "  and,"  the  meaning 
would  be :  "  On  this  shelf  you  will  put  books  of  any  date, 
and  pamphlets  of  the  present  year." 

(&)  When  "  and"  joins  the  separate  words  of  a  series 
of  three  or  more  words,  no  comma  is  placed  before  it. 

Trees  and  bridges  and  houses  were  swept  down  by  the 
flooded  stream. 


THE   ART   OF   PUNCTUATION  203 

0)  Two  of  the  words  of  the  series  may  be  more 
closely  connected  with  one  another  than  with  the  other 
words  of  the  series,  and  are,  therefore,  not  to  be  sepa- 
rated by  any  point. 

In  the  following  sentence,  "  all  "  qualifies  both  "  tracts  " 
and  "  pamphlets,"  and  thus  joins  them  closely. 

My  unbound  books,  and  all  my  tracts  and  pamphlets,  are 
to  be  tied  up  with  pink  tape. 

(d)  When  "and"  occurs  only  between  the  two  last 
words  of  the  series,  the  comma  is  inserted  before  it. 

Trumpets,  drums,  and  kettle-drums,  contended  in  noise 
with  the  shouts  of  a  numerous  rabble. 

Some  writers  omit  this  comma.  But  it  is  very  useful, 
in  order  to  make  the  previous  rule  (d)  effective. 

2.  When  "and"  joins  two  phrases,  a  comma  usually 
precedes  it. 

The  ceremony  was  performed  in  the  accustomed  man- 
ner, and  with  due  solemnity. 

If,  as  in  the  following  sentence,  a  preposition  is  com- 
mon to  two  phrases,  and  is  not  repeated  in  the  second,  no 
comma  is  used. 

With  proper  care  and  good  instruments,  the  work  may  be 
successfully  carried  out. 

3.  When  "  and  "  joins  two  clauses,  the  preceding  point 
may  be  the  comma,  the  semicolon,  or  even  the  full  stop. 
Which  point  is  right  in  any  particular  case  will  depend 
upon  considerations  set  out  in  other  rules. 

The  following  example  illustrates  different  cases: 

Within  that  charmed  rock,  so  Torridge  boatmen  tell,  sleeps 
now  the  old  Norse  Viking  in  his  leaden  coffin,  with  all  his 
fairy  treasure  and  his  crown  of  gold;  and,  as  the  boy  looks 
at  the  spot,  he  fancies,  and  almost  hopes,  that  the  day  may 
come  when  he  shall  have  to  do  his  duty  against  the  invader 
as  boldly  as  the  men  of  Devon  did  then.  And  past  him,  far 


2O4        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

below,  upon  the  soft  southeastern  breeze,  the  stately  ships  go 
sliding  out  to  sea. 

OR. —  The  rules  for  the  conjunction  "and"  apply 
with  little  change  to  the  conjunction  "  or; "  but  there  are 
one  or  two  special  points  to  note. 

(a)  When  "or"  is  preceded  at  no  great  distance  by 
"  either "  or  "  whether,"  the  two  words  should  not  be 
separated  by  a  point. 

They  must  either  yield  this  point  or  resign. 
It  does  not  matter  whether  we  go  or  stay. 

But  a  point  is  inserted  if  the  words  stand  farther  apart, 
or  if  each  is  followed  by  a  complete  clause. 

Either  this  road  leads  to  the  town,  or  we  have  misunder- 
stood the  directions. 

(&)  "  Or,"  joining  two  alternatives,  takes  no  point  be- 
fore it ;  but  when  it  joins  two  words  that  are  used  not  as 
real  alternatives  but  as  synonyms  a  comma  is  inserted. 

England  or  France  might  be  asked  to  join  the  alliance. 

Here  "  or "  is  used  as  a  real  alternative  conjecture, 
and  therefore  without  any  point.  In  the  following  ex- 
amples, the  "  or  "  joins  equivalent  expressions : 

England,  or  the  nation  of  shopkeepers,  would  never  be 
asked  to  join  such  an  alliance. 

We  perceive,  or  are  conscious  of,  nothing  but  changes,  or 
events. 

As  a  reason  for  the  insertion  of  the  comma  in  these 
two  examples,  it  may  be  said  that  the  repetition  of  an 
idea  already  expressed  does  for  a  moment  stop  the  flow 
of  the  sentence.  A  real  alternative,  on  the  other  hand, 
forms  an  essential  part  of  it  and  is  within  its  current. 

17.  In  cases  where  no  point  would  be  used  before  a 
conjunction,  a  comma  is  inserted  if  the  conjunction  be 
omitted. 

I  pay  this  tribute  to  the  memory  of  that  noble,  reverend, 
learned,  excellent  person. 


THE   ART    OF    PUNCTUATION  2O5 

In  the  following  examples  no  point  occurs ;  for  it  can- 
not be  said  that  a  conjunction  is  omitted.  To  insert  the 
conjunction  would  be  to  express  a  slightly  different  shade 
of  meaning : 

A  grand  old  man. 
Three  tall  young  soldiers. 

"  Old  man  "  is  virtually  a  single  word,  and  in  fact  many 
languages  use  only  a  single  word  to  express  the  idea. 

18.  Where  a  comma  would  be  used  if  the  conjunction 
were  expressed,  some  stronger  point  may  be  used  if  the 
conjunction  be  omitted. 

Let  us  get  an  American  revenue  as  we  have  got  an  Ameri- 
can empire.  English  privileges  have  made  it  all  that  it  is; 
English  privileges  alone  will  make  it  all  that  it  can  be. 

19.  A  comma  is  placed  after  a  noun  or  a  pronoun  in 
the  vocative  case,  if  a  mark  of  exclamation  be  not  used, 
or  be  reserved  till  the  first  distinct  pause  in  the  sentence. 

Yet  I  own,  my  lord,  that  yours  is  not  an  uncommon 
character. 

I  am,  sir,  yours  truly,  John  Smith. 

O  Italy,  gather  thy  blood  into  thy  heart! 

O  Thou,  who  in  the  heavens  dost  dwell! 

Whether  a  comma  or  a  mark  of  exclamation  should  be 
used  after  the  vocative  case  depends  entirely  on  the  de- 
gree of  emphasis  with  which  the  words  would  be  spoken. 
If,  in  speaking,  a  slight  pause  would  be  made,  the  comma, 
not  the  mark  of  exclamation,  is  the  proper  point. 

20.  If  a  word  be  repeated  in  order  to  give  it  intensive 
force,  a  comma  follows  it  each  time  that  it  occurs ;  but,  in 
the  case  of  an  adjective  repeated  before  a  noun,  not  after 
the  last  expression  of  it. 

It  was  work,  work,  work,  from  morning  till  night. 
He  traveled  a  long,  long  way. 

THE   SEMICOLON 

21.  The  semicolon  is  the  point  usually  employed  to 
separate  parts  of  a  sentence  between  which  there  is  a 


2O6        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

very  distinct  break,  but  which  are  too  intimately  con- 
nected to  be  made  separate  sentences. 

The  patient  dates  his  pleasure  from  the  day  when  he  feels 
that  his  cure  has  begun ;  and,  perhaps,  the  day  of  his  perfect 
reestablishment  does  not  yield  him  pleasure  so  great. 

Not  one  word  is  said,  nor  one  suggestion  made,  of  a  gen- 
eral right  to  choose  our  own  governors;  to  cashier  them  for 
misconduct;  and  to  form  a  government  for  ourselves. 

The  semicolon  is  used  in  enumerations,  as  in  the  last  ex- 
ample, in  order  to  keep  the  parts  more  distinctly  separate. 

22.  When  a  sentence  consists  of  two  or  more  inde- 
pendent clauses  not  joined  by  conjunctions,  the  clauses 
are  separated  by  semicolons. 

To  command  a  crime  is  to  commit  one ;  he  who  com- 
mands an  assassination  is  by  everyone  regarded  as  an  assas- 
sin. 

His  knowledge  was  too  multifarious  to  be  always  exact;  his 
pursuits  were  too  eager  to  be  always  cautious. 

If  the  conjunction  "  and "  were  inserted  in  the  last 
sentence,  the  comma  would  be  used  instead  of  the  semi- 
colon. A  conjunction  forms  a  bridge  over  the  gap  be- 
tween two  statements,  and,  where  they  are  neither  long 
nor  complicated,  we  pass  from  one  to  the  other  without 
noticing  any  distinct  break.  But  there  is  such  a  break 
when  the  conjunction  is  omitted,  and  therefore  we  use  a 
stronger  point. 

23.  A  pause  usually  indicated  by  a  comma  may  be  in- 
dicated by  a  semicolon,  when  commas  are  used  in  the 
sentence  for  other  purposes. 

I  got  several  things  of  less  value,  but  not  all  less  useful 
to  me,  which  I  omitted  setting  down  before:  as,  in  par- 
ticular, pens,  ink,  and  paper;  several  parcels  in  the  captain's, 
mate's,  gunner's,  and  carpenter's  keeping;  three  or  four 
compasses,  some  mathematical  instruments,  dials,  perspec- 
tives, charts,  and  books  of  navigation. 

In  this  sentence  the  semicolon  enables  us  to  group  the 
objects  enumerated.  Had  commas  been  used  throughout, 


THE   ART   OF   PUNCTUATION  2O/ 

the  reader  would  have  been  left  to  find  out  the  arrange- 
ment for  himself. 

THE  COLON 

24.  The  colon  is  used  to  indicate  pauses  more  abrupt 
than  those  indicated  by  the  semicolon. 

God  has  willed  it:  submit  in  thankfulness. 

The  wind  raged,  and  the  rain  beat  against  the  window: 
it  was  a  miserable  day. 

Nevertheless,  you  will  say  that  there  must  be  a  difference 
between  true  poetry  and  true  speech  not  poetical :  what  is  the 
difference? 

The  first  example  contains  two  clauses  that  are  con- 
nected in  such  a  way  as  to  justify  us  in  putting  them  into 
one  sentence;  that  it  is  God's  will,  is  a  reason  for  sub- 
mitting. The  proper  point  therefore  should  be  something 
less  than  the  period.  But  there  is  a  striking  difference 
between  the  clauses ;  for  we  pass  from  an  affirmation  to  a 
command.  Therefore  something  more  than  the  semicolon 
is  needed.  Had  the  clauses  been  similar  in  construction, 
the  pause  would  have  been  sufficiently  indicated  by  the 
semicolon :  "  God  has  willed  it ;  man  has  resisted." 

In  the  second  example  there  is  not  the  same  change 
of  grammatical  construction,  but  the  change  in  thought 
is  equally  great;  we  pass  from  a  statement  of  details  to 
a  statement  of  the  general  result.  The  colon  is  frequently 
used  in  sentences  of  this  kind,  where  the  phrase  "  in 
short  "  is  implied  but  is  not  expressed. 

Many  writers  indicate  such  abrupt  changes  by  means 
of  the  dash. 

25.  A  pause  usually  indicated  by  a  semicolon  may  be 
indicated  by  a  colon,  when  the  semicolon  is  used  in  the 
sentence  for  pauses  of  a  different  nature. 

The  "Essay"  plainly  appears  the  fabric  of  a  poet:  what 
Bolingbroke  supplied  could  be  only  the  first  principles;  the 
order,  illustration,  and  embellishments,  must  all  be  Pope's. 

Not  that  we  are  to  think  that  Homer  wanted  judgment, 


2O8  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

because  Virgil  had  it  in  a  more  eminent  degree ;  or  that 
Virgil  wanted  invention,  because  Homer  possessed  a  larger 
share  of  it:  each  of  these  great  authors  had  more  of  both 
than,  perhaps,  any  man  besides,  and  are  said  to  have  less  only 
in  comparison  with  each  other. 

Homer  hurries  and  transports  us  with  a  commanding  im- 
petuosity; Virgil  leads  us  with  an  attractive  majesty:  Homer 
scatters  with  a  generous  profusion;  Virgil  bestows  with  a 
careful  magnificence. 

26.  The  colon  is  used  before  enumerations,  especially 
where  "  namely,"  or  "  viz.,"  is  implied  but  is  not  ex- 
pressed. 

Three  nations  adopted  this  law :  England,  France,  and 
Germany. 

One  thing  thou  lackest:  go  thy  way,  sell  whatsoever  thou 
hast,  and  give  to  the  poor. 

27.  The  colon  is  usually  placed  before  a  quotation  when 
notice  of  the  quotation  is  given  by  some  introductory 
words. 

In  this  passage  exception  may  fairly  be  taken  to  one  short 
sentence,  that  in  which  he  says :  "  The  law  ought  to  forbid 
it,  because  conscience  does  not  permit  it." 

Sometimes  the  connection  between  the  introductory 
words  and  the  quotation  may  be  so  close,  or  the  quotation 
itself  may  be  so  short,  as  to  make  the  comma  sufficient. 

He  kept  repeating  to  us,  "The  world  has  sadly  changed." 

Short  phrases  quoted  in  the  course  of  the  sentence  need 
not  have  any  point  before  them. 

It  was  a  usual  saying  of  his  own  that  he  had  "  no  genius  for 
friendship." 

28.  The  colon  may  be  placed  after  such  words  and 
phrases  as  the  following,  when  used  in  marking  a  new 
stage  in  an  argument :  —  Again,  further,  to  proceed,  to 
sum  up,  to  resume. 

To  sum  up :  If  you  will  conform  to  the  conditions  I  have 
mentioned,  I  will  sign  the  agreement. 


THE   ART   OF   PUNCTUATION  2OQ 

But  to  bring  this  sermon  to  its  proper  conclusion:  If 
Astrea,  or  Justice,  never  finally  took  her  leave  of  the  world 
till  the  day  that,  etc. 

After  these  words,  we  have  a  choice  of  the  comma,  the 
colon,  and  the  period.  The  comma  should  be  used  if  the 
argument  be  contained  in  a  single  sentence;  the  period, 
if  the  argument  be  of  considerable  length. 

THE  INTERROGATION   POINT 

29.  The  point  of  interrogation  is  placed  after  a  direct 
question. 

Where  are  you  going,  my  pretty  maid? 
The  question  may  end  in  the  middle  of  a  sentence : 
Is  he  happy?  you  ask. 

We  have  sometimes  the  choice  of  putting  the  point  of 
interrogation  in  the  middle  or  at  the  end  of  the  sentence. 

You  would  not  consent  to  that,  by  whomsoever  proposed  ? 
You  would  not  consent  to  that?  —  by  whomsoever  proposed. 

There  is  a  slight  shade  of  difference  in  meaning;  in 
the  second  form,  "  by  whomsoever  proposed  "  is  added  as 
an  afterthought. 

30.  Indirect  questions  are  not  strictly  questions  at  all, 
and  therefore  should  not  be  followed  by  a  point  of  in- 
terrogation. 

He  asked  me  whether  I  had  seen  his  friend ;  whether  I  had 
spoken  to  him,  and  how  I  liked  him. 

If  we  restore  these  questions  to  the  direct  form,  the 
point  of  interrogation  is  inserted. 

He  asked  me:  "Have  you  seen  my  friend?  Have  you 
spoken  to  him?  How  do  you  like  him?" 

31.  When  a  sentence  contains  more  than  one  question, 
sometimes  the  point  of  interrogation  is  placed  after  each 
of  them,  sometimes  it  is  placed  only  at  the  end  of  the 


2IO  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

sentence.  It  is  placed  after  each,  if  each  is  in  reality  a 
distinct  question;  it  is  placed  only  at  the  end  if  the 
separate  questions  so  unite  as  to  need  but  a  single  an- 
swer. 

In  many  cases  it  will  be  a  matter  of  individual  taste  to 
say  whether  they  do  so  unite. 

Is  it  better  that  estates  should  be  held  by  those  who  have  no 
duty  than  by  those  who  have  one?  by  those  whose  character 
and  destination  point  to  virtues  than  by  those  who  have  no 
rule  and  direction  in  the  expenditure  of  their  estates  but  their 
own  will  and  appetite? 

Do  you  imagine  that  it  is  the  Land  Tax  Act  which  raises 
your  revenue,  that  it  is  the  annual  vote  in  the  Committee 
of  Supply  which  gives  you  your  army,  or  that  it  is  the 
Mutiny  Bill  which  inspires  it  with  bravery  and  discipline? 
No !  surely  no ! 

32.  Exclamations  in  an  interrogative  form  take  a  mark 
of  exclamation  after  them,  not  a  point  of  interrogation. 

33.  A  point  of  interrogation  enclosed  within  brackets 
is  sometimes  used  to  indicate  that  there  is  a  doubt  whether 
the  statement  preceding  it  is  true,  or  whether  the  expres- 
sion preceding  it  is  well  applied,  or  that  some  statement 
or  expression  is  made  or  used  ironically. 

While  you  are  revelling  in  the  delights  (?)  of  the  London 
season,  I  am  leading  a  hermit  life,  with  no  companions  save 
my  books. 

THE   EXCLAMATION-MARK 

34.  The  mark  of  exclamation  is  placed  after  inter- 
jections and  words  used  inter jectionally;  that  is  to  say, 
after  expressions  of  an  exclamatory  nature.     The  excla- 
mation may  be  one  of  surprise  or  of  fear,  or  the  utterance 
of  a  wish,  a  command,  or  a  prayer. 

Quick !     Begone  !    Out  of  my  sight ! 
Heaven  preserve  us ! 

Would  that  better  feelings  moved  them ! 
O  Lord,  be  merciful  unto  me,  a  sinner ! 

Interjections  are  not  always  followed  immediately  by  a 


THE   ART    OF    PUNCTUATION  211 

mark  of  exclamation,  and  sometimes  have  none  at  all. 
No  rule  can  be  given  more  precise  than  this :  ( i )  That 
we  should  not  insert  a  mark  of  exclamation  immediately 
after  an  interjection,  unless  we  should  make  a  distinct 
pause  after  it  in  speaking;  and  (2)  that  no  mark  of  ex- 
clamation is  to  be  used  at  all  unless  the  exclamatory  na- 
ture of  the  sentence  is  strongly  marked.  It  is  useful  to 
notice  the  difference  between  "O"  and  "Oh."  The 
former  is  used  only  before  the  vocative  case,  and  never 
has  a  mark  of  exclamation,  nor  indeed  any  point,  placed 
immediately  after  it. 

Alas !  all  our  hopes  are  blasted. 
Lo,  he  cotneth ! 

O  Dido,  Dido,  most  unhappy  Dido! 

Unhappy  wife,  still  more  unhappy  widow ! 
Oh,  do  not  reckon  that  old  debt  to  my  account  to-day! 

35.  The  mark  of  exclamation  is  placed  after  sentences 
which,  though  interrogatory  in  form,  are  really  exclama- 
tory. 

How  could  he  have  been  so  foolish! 
And  shall  he  never  see  an  end  to  this  state  of  things !    Shall 
he  never  have  the  due  reward  of  labour! 

The  sentences  quoted  would  lose  much  of  their  force  if 
marks  of  interrogation  were  used.  In  each  case  we  must 
decide  whether  the  sentence  strikes  us  most  as  a  question 
or  as  an  expression  of  emotion. 

36.  The  mark  of  exclamation  is  sometimes  placed  after 
an  ironical  statement. 

They  did  not  fight,  tens  against  thousands ;  they  did  not  fight 
for  wives  and  children,  but  for  lands  and  plunder :  then 
they  are  heroes! 

The  mark  of  exclamation  keeps  up  the  semblance  of 
seriousness  which  is  of  the  essence  of  irony. 

37.  The  mark  of  exclamation  is  placed  after  the  state 
ment  of  some  absurdity. 

He  has  been  labouring  to  prove  that  Shakespeare's  plays 
were  written  by  Bacon ! 


212        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

The  same  reason  applies  to  its  use  after  such  sentences 
as  after  ironical  statements. 

38.  The  mark  of  exclamation  may  be  placed  after  any 
impressive  or  striking  thought. 

The  Angel  of  Death  has  been  abroad  throughout  the  land : 
you  may  almost  hear  the  very  beating  of  his  wings ! 

It  may  be  doubted  whether  the  mark  of  exclamation 
is  in  such  cases  of  any  great  service ;  for  the  impressive- 
ness  of  a  sentence  ought  to  appear  in  the  sentence  itself, 
or  to  be  given  to  it  by  the  context.  There  is  a  real 
danger,  as  the  style  of  many  people  shows,  in  thinking 
that  punctuation  is  intended  to  save  the  trouble  of  careful 
composition. 

39.  When  a  sentence  contains  more  than  one  exclama- 
tion, sometimes  the  mark  of  exclamation  is  placed  only 
after  the  last,  sometimes  it  is  placed  after  each  of  them, 
the  test  being  whether  or  not  they  are  in  reality,  as  well 
as  in  form,  several  exclamations. 

Though  all  are  thus  satisfied  with  the  dispensations  of 
Nature,  how  few  listen  to  her  voice!  how  few  follow  her 
as  a  guide! 

THE  DASH 

40.  The  chief  purpose  of  the  dash  is  to  indicate  that 
something  is  left  unfinished.     Accordingly,   it  marks  a 
sudden  or  abrupt  change  in  the  grammatical  structure  of 
a  sentence. 

When  I  remember  how  we  have  worked  together,  and  to- 
gether borne  misfortune ;  when  I  remember  —  but  what  avails 
it  to  remember? 

And  all  this  long  story  was  about  —  what  do  you  think? 

"  We  cannot  hope  to  succeed,  unless "  "  But  we  must 

succeed." 

Note  that  it  is  the  long  dash  that  is  used  at  the  end  of  a 
sentence. 
The  period  is  not  added  where  the  dash  marks  an  un- 


THE  ART  OF  PUNCTUATION  2 13 

finished  sentence.     But  it  is  common  to  add  the  point  of 
interrogation  or  the  mark  of  exclamation. 

41.  The  dash  is  used  to  mark  a  faltering  or  hesitating 
speech. 

Well  — I  don't  know  — that  is  — no,  I  cannot  accept  it. 

42.  When  the  subject  of  a  sentence  is  of  such  length,  or 
of  such  complexity,  that  its  connection  with  the  verb 
might  easily  be  lost  sight  of,  it  is  sometimes  left  hanging 
in  the  sentence,  and  its  place  is  supplied  by  some  short 
expression  that  sums  it  up.    A  dash  follows  the  subject 
when  thus  abandoned. 

Physical  science,  including  chemistry,  geology,  geography, 
astronomy;  metaphysics,  philology,  theology;  economics,  in- 
cluding taxation  and  finance;  politics  and  general  literature 
—  all  occupied  by  turn,  and  almost  simultaneously,  his  in- 
cessantly active  mind. 

The  colon  is  sometimes  used  in  such  cases;  but  the 
dash  seems  preferable,  as  it  is  the  point  that  marks  a 
change  in  the  structure  of  a  sentence. 

43.  An  unexpected  turn  of  the  thought  may  be  marked 
by  the  dash. 

He  entereth  smiling  and  —  embarrassed.  He  holdeth  out 
his  hand  to  you  to  shake,  and  —  draweth  it  back  again.  He 
casually  looketh  in  about  dinner-time — .when  the  table  is  full. 
He  offereth  to  go  away,  seeing  you  have  company  —  but  is 
induced  to  stay. 

44.  The  dash  is  sometimes  used  instead  of  parentheses 
before  and  after  a  parenthetic  phrase. 

This  was  amongst  the  strongest  pledges  for  thy  truth,  that 
never  once  —  no,  not  for  a  moment  of  weakness  —  didst 
thou  revel  in  the  vision  of  coronets  and  honour  from  man. 

45.  The  dash  is  sometimes  used  instead  of  the  colon, 
where  the  word  "  namely "  is  implied,  but  is  not  ex- 
pressed. 

The  most  extreme  example  of  such  theories  is  perhaps  to  be 
found  in  the  attempt  to  distribute  all  law  under  the  two  great 
commandments  —  love  to  God,  and  love  to  one's  neighbour. 


214        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

In  this  sentence,  however,  the  colon  is  preferable.  The 
dash  should  be  used  for  this  purpose  only  when  it  is  nec- 
essary to  use  the  colon  in  the  same  sentence  for  other 
purposes. 

46.  The  dash  is  used  in  rhetorical  repetition;  for  in- 
stance, where  one  part  of  the  sentence,  such  as  the  sub- 
ject, is  repeated  at  intervals  throughout  the  sentence,  and 
the  rest  of  the  sentence  is  kept  suspended. 

Cannot  you,  in  England  —  cannot  you,  at  this  time  of  day  — 
cannot  you,  a  House  of  Commons,  trust  to  the  principle  which 
has  raised  so  mighty  a  revenue? 

47.  A  dash  following  a  period  occurs  between  the  side- 
heading  of  a  paragraph  and  the  paragraph  itself. 

Extent  and  Boundaries. —  England  (including  Wales)  is 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Scotland ;  on  the  west  by  the  Irish 
Sea,  St.  George's  Channel,  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean;  on  the 
south  by  the  English  Channel ;  and  on  the  east  by  the  German 
Ocean. 

48.  When  we  place  after  a  quotation  the  name  of  the 
author  from  whom  it  is  taken,  the  period  and  the  dash  are 
used  in  the  same  way. 

"  One  touch  of  nature  makes  the  whole  world  kin." — 
Shakespeare. 

49.  The  dash  is  sometimes  used  in  place  of,  or  in  addi- 
tion to,  other  points,  in  order  to  indicate  a  pause  greater 
than  usual. 

Now  where  is  the  revenue  which  is  to  do  all  these  mighty 
things  ?  Five  sixths  repealed  —  abandoned  —  sunk  —  gone  — 
lost  forever. 

±HE  PARENTHESIS 

50.  When  a  clause  not  strictly  belonging  to  a  sentence 
is  thrown  in,  so  to  speak,  in  passing,  the  clause  is  enclosed 
within  parentheses. 

It  is  said,  because  the  priests  are  paid  by  the  people  (the 
pay  is  four  shillings  per  family  yearly),  therefore  they  object 
to  their  leaving. 


THE   ART   OF   PUNCTUATION  215 

In  full  confidence  of  this  unalterable  truth,  I  now  (quod 
felix  fattstumque  sit)  lay  the  first  stone  of  the  Temple  of 
Peace. 

Over  and  above  the  enclosing  marks,  a  parenthesis 
causes  no  change  in  the  punctuation  of  the  sentence  that 
contains  it ;  in  other  words,  if  we  were  to  omit  the  paren- 
thesis, no  change  should  be  necessary  in  the  punctuation 
of  the  rest  of  the  sentence.  The  comma  is  inserted  after 
the  parenthesis  in  the  first  example,  because  the  comma 
would  be  needed  even  if  there  were  no  parenthesis. 
Never  place  a  comma  immediately  before  a  parenthesis. 
Observe  that  the  comma  in  the  first  example  is  placed 
after,  not  before,  the  parenthesis.  The  reason  for  this  is 
that  the  parenthesis  belongs  to  the  first  part  of  the  sen- 
tence, not  to  the  second. 

In  the  second  example,  there  would  be  no  comma  be- 
fore "  lay  "  if  there  were  no  parenthesis ;  accordingly  the 
comma  is  not  to  be  inserted  merely  because  there  is  a 
parenthesis. 

51.  A  complete  sentence  occurring  parenthetically  in  a 
paragraph  is  sometimes  placed  within  parentheses. 

Godfrey  knew  all  this,  and  felt  it  with  the  greater  force 
because  he  had  constantly  suffered  annoyance  from  witnessing 
his  father's  sudden  fits  of  unrelentingness,  for  which  his  own 
habitual  irresolution  deprived  him  of  all  sympathy.  (He  was 
not  critical  on  the  faulty  indulgence  which  preceded  these  fits ; 
that  seemed  to  him  natural  enough.)  Still  there  was  just  the 
chance,  Godfrey  thought,  that  his  father's  pride  might  see 
this  marriage  in  a  light  that  would  induce  him  to  hush  it  up, 
rather  than  turn  his  son  out  and  make  the  family  the  talk  of 
the  country  for  ten  miles  round. 

Note  that  in  this  case  the  period  should  be  placed  in- 
side, not  outside,  the  parentheses,  because  the  sentence  is 
complete  in  itself. 

52.  Where,  in  quoting  a  passage,  we  throw  in  parer 
thetically  something  of  our  own,  we  may  use  square 
brackets. 

Compare  the  following  account  of  Lord  Palmerston :    "  I 


2l6        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

have  heard  him  [Lord  Palmerston]  say  that  he  occasionally 
found  that  they  [foreign  ministers]  had  been  deceived  by  the 
open  manner  in  which  he  told  them  the  truth." 

To  use  the  square  brackets  in  this  way  is  often  more 
convenient  than  to  break  the  inverted  commas  and  to 
begin  them  again.  But  in  the  case  of  the  word  sic  — 
where  it  is  inserted  in  a  quotation  to  point  out  that  the 
word  preceding  it  is  rightly  quoted  and  has  not  been  in- 
serted by  mistake  —  the  ordinary  parentheses  are  used. 

"The  number  of  inhabitants  were  (sic)  not  more  than  four 
millions." 

QUOTATION    MARKS 

53.  When  we  quote  without  any  change  the  words  of 
another  person,  they  are  enclosed  within  inverted  commas, 
or  quotation  marks.  If  they  are  quoted  in  the  indirect 
form,  or  if  we  quote  merely  the  substance,  and  neglect 
the  exact  words,  inverted  commas  are  not  used. 

Thereupon  the  mob  bursts  in  and  inquires,  "  What  are  you 
doing  for  the  people  ?  " 

Thereupon  the  mob  bursts  in  and  inquires  what  you  are 
doing  for  the  people. 

He  says  :  "  There  is  no  property  of  any  description,  if  it  be 
rightfully  held,  which  had  not  its  foundation  in  labor." 

He  frequently  calls  them  "  absurd,"  and  applies  to  them 
such  epithets  as  "  jargon,"  "  fustian,"  and  the  like. 

The  last  sentence  might  be  written  without  inverted 
commas.  By  using  them  we  call  special  attention  to  the 
fact  that  these  were  the  words  actually  employed,  and  are 
not  simply  words  like  them. 

So,  in  a  passage  quoted  in  the  indirect  form,  if  part  be 
quoted  exactly,  it  is  placed  within  inverted  commas. 

The  Duke  of  Portland  warmly  approved  of  the  work,  but 
justly  remarked  that  the  king  was  not  "  so  absolute  a  thing 
of  straw  "  as  he  was  represented  in  it. 

Words  referred  to  simply  as  words  are  either  placed 
within  inverted  commas  or  put  in  italics. 


THE   ART   OF   PUNCTUATION 


2I7 


The  word  "  friendship,"  in  the  sense  we  commonly  mean 
by  it,  is  not  so  much  as  named  in  the  New  Testament 

54.  When  a  quotation  is  interrupted,  as  in  the  report  of 
a  conversation,  each  continuous  part  of  the  quotation  is 
enclosed  within  inverted  commas. 

"  Pardon  me,  madam,"  answered  Henry,  "  it  was  of  one 
Silas  Morton  I  spoke." 

55.  When   a   quotation   occurs  in   another  quotation, 
single  inverted  commas  are  used  for  the  second  quotation. 

"What  have  you  done?"  said  one  of  Balfour's  brother 
officers.  "  My  duty,"  said  Balfour  firmly.  "  Is  it  not  written, 
'  Thou  shalt  be  zealous  even  to  slaying '  ?  " 

56.  A  word  that  is  not  classical  English,  or  is  used  in  a 
sense  in  which  it  is  not  classical  English,  is  either  en- 
closed within  inverted  commas  or  italicized. 

Those  that  have  "  located  "  (located)  previous  to  this  period 
are  left  in  undisputed  possession,  provided  they  have  im- 
proved the  land. 

Before  long,  Becky  received  not  only  "  the  best "  foreigners 
(as  the  phrase  is  in  our  noble  and  admirable  society  slang), 
but  some  of  "the  best"  English  people  too. 

57.  The  titles  of  books,  of  essays,  and  of  other  compo- 
sitions ;  the  names  of  periodicals ;  and  the  names  of  ships, 
are  either  enclosed  within  inverted  commas  or  italicized, 
according  to  individual  preference. 

In  these  "Miscellanies"  was  first  published  the  "Art  of 
Sinking  in  Poetry,"  which,  by  such  a  train  of  consequences  as 
usually  passes  in  literary  quarrels,  gave  in  a  short  time,  ac- 
cording to  Pope's  account,  occasion  to  the  "  Dunciad." 

The  names  of  periodicals  and  of  ships  are  more  often 
written  in  italics  than  enclosed  within  inverted  commas. 

58.  If  a  quotation  contains  a  question,  the  point  of  in- 
terrogation stands  within  the  inverted  commas. 

In  a  voice  which  was  fascination  itself,  the  being  addressed 
me,  saying,  "  Wilt  thou  come  with  me?  Wilt  thou  be  mine? ' 

59.  If  an  interrogative  sentence  ends  with  a  quotation, 


2l8        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

the  point  of  interrogation  stands  outside  the  inverted 
commas. 

What  does  this  honourable  person  mean  by  "  a  tempest 
that  outrides  the  wind  "  ? 

Observe  how  in  the  example  given  under  Rule  55  the 
point  of  interrogation  stands  within  the  double  inverted 
commas,  but  outside  the  single  inverted  commas. 

60.  If  an  interrogative  sentence  ends  with  a  quotation 
which  is  itself  interrogatory,  the  point  of  interrogation  is 
placed  outside  the  inverted  commas. 

Hast  thou  never  cried,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  "  ? 

The  reason  is,  that  the  question  to  be  answered  is  not 
the  quoted  question,  but  "  hast  thou  never  cried  ?  " 

61.  The  last  three  rules  apply  also  to  exclamatory  sen- 
tences. 

(1)  But  I  boldly  cried  out,  "  Woe  unto  this  city !  " 

(2)  Alas,  how   few  of  them  say,  "  I  have  striven  to  the 
very  utmost " ! 

(3)  How  fearful  was  the  cry :  "  Help,  or  we  perish  " ! 

62.  Where  an  interrogative  sentence  ends  with  a  quo- 
tation of  an  exclamatory  nature,  or  an  exclamatory  sen- 
tence ends  with  a  quotation  of  an  interrogative  nature,  it 
seems  better  to  place  at  the  end  both  the  point  of  in- 
terrogation and  the  mark  of  exclamation,  the  one  inside, 
the  other  outside,  the  inverted  commas. 

Do  you  remember  who  it  was  that  wrote 
"  Whatever  England's  fields  display, 
The  fairest  scenes  are  thine,  Torbay !  "? 

How  much  better  to  cease   asking  the  question,   "  What 
would  he  have  done  in  different  circumstances  ?  " ! 

Where  inverted  commas  are  not  used,  it  seems  suffi- 
cient to  have  only  one  point,  which  must  be  the  one  re- 
quired by  the  whole  sentence,  not  by  the  quotation. 

Do  you  remember  the  passage  where  Burke  alludes  to  the 
old  warning  of  the  Church  —  Sursum  corda? 


THE   ART   OF   PUNCTUATION 
ITALICS 

63.  Words  to  be  specially  emphasized  may  be  put  in 
italics.     In  writing,  the  substitute  for  italics  is  under- 
lining. 

What,  it  may  well  be  asked,  can  the  interests  of  the  com- 
munity be  those  of  —  I  do  not  say  an  individual,  but  —  the 
individual  ? 

The  voice  can  unmistakably  indicate  what  are  the  em- 
phatic words ;  but  italics,  only  a  feeble  substitute,  should 
not  be  used  unless  every  other  means  of  emphasizing  fail. 

64.  Words  from  a  foreign  language  which  have  not 
become  classical  English  words,  are  written  in  italics. 

The  slightest  double  entente  made  him  blush  to  the  eyes. 
Knowledge  of  French  is  a  sine  qua  non. 

When  foreign  words  become  English,  they  are  no  longer 
italicised.  Among  such  words  are:  rationale,  aide-de- 
camp, quartette,  naive,  libretto.  It  is  often  a  matter  of 
discretion  to  say  whether  a  word  is  so  far  Anglicised  that 
it  should  be  written  in  the  ordinary  way.  Use  the  proper 
marks  of  accent  in  foreign  languages,  whether  they  are 
italicised  or  not.  Omit  accents  over  capital  letters. 

65.  Names  of  newspapers  and  magazines,  and  names  of 
ships,  are  usually  written  in  italics;  as  the  Times,  the 
Sun,  the  Olympic,  the  Imperator. 

THE   HYPHEN 

66.  The  hyphen  is  used  between  the  component  parts 
of  some  compound  words. 

Paper-knife;  book-keeping;  coal-pit;  water-carrier;  print- 
ing-press; sea-water;  man-of-war;  high-art  decoration;  good- 
looking. 

There  is  no  rule  to  distinguish  the  compound  words 
that  take  a  hyphen  from  those  that  do  not.  If  one  be  in 
doubt  about  the  use  of  hyphens,  the  best  thing  to  do  is  to 
choose  one  of  the  modern  dictionaries,  and  make  that  the 
standard  in  hyphenating. 


22O        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

67.  As  a  rule,  a  hyphen  should  not  be  placed  after  a 
simple   prefix :    "  contravene,"    "  preternatural,"    "hyper- 
critical," "  bilateral." 

To  this  there  are  some  exceptions : 

(a)  "  Re-creation,"  "  re-mark."  The  hyphen  distin- 
guishes the  etymological  meaning  of  these  words  as  distin- 
guished from  their  derived  and  ordinary  meaning. 

(6)  "  Pre-Norman,"  "  anti-Darwinian,"  "  philo-Turk." 
If  the  capital  letter  be  retained  where  a  prefix  is  put  to 
a  proper  name,  the  hyphen  is  obviously  necessary. 

68.  When  a  number  is  written  in  words  and  not  in 
figures,  the  words  making  up  the  number,  if  there  be  more 
words  than  one,  are  in  certain  cases  separated  from  each 
other  by  the  hyphen. 

The  numbers  to  which  this  rule  applies  are  the  cardinal 
and  the  ordinal  numbers  from  twenty-one  and  twenty-first 
to  ninety-nine  and  ninety-ninth,  inclusive.  The  hyphen 
is  used  also  when  the  words  are  inverted ;  as  "  four-and- 
thirty,"  "  six-and-fortieth." 

69.  Fractional  parts  written  in  words  are  not  separated, 
since  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  write  "  two- 
thirds  "  any  more  than  we  should  write  "  two-hats."    Un- 
less the  numerator  and  the  denominator  are  used  as  a  com- 
pound adjective,  write  them  without  a  hyphen. 

70.  Several  words  may  be  joined  by  hyphens,  in  order 
to  indicate  that  they  are  to  be  read  together. 

The  I-believe-of-Eastern-derivation  monosyllable  "  Bosh." 
Additional   restrictions   were   advocated    in   the   cases   of 
mothers-of-young-children  employed  in  factories. 

As  this  last  sentence  stands,  the  hyphen  is  really  the 
only  means  of  making  it  perfectly  clear  that  those  who 
are  referred  to  as  employed  in  factories  are  the  mothers, 
not  the  children.  Hyphens  are  sometimes  used  in  cases 
like  the  following :  "  A  never-to-be-forgotten  event," 
"  peace-at-any-price  principles."  They  are  almost  invari- 
ably used  in  "  well-to-do,"  "  alack-a-day." 


THE   ART   OF   PUNCTUATION  221 

71.  The  prefix  "  a  "  before  the  present  particple  of  the 
verb  is  followed  by  a  hyphen. 

They  went  a-hunting. 
I  lay  a-thinking. 

Note  that  "  agoing  "  is  not  divided. 

72.  When  a  word  is  divided  at  the  end  of  a  line,  part 
of  the  word  being  in  the  next  line,  a  hyphen  is  placed 
after  the  part  at  the  end  of  the  line. 

So  far  as  rules  can  be  given  for  the  division  of  words, 
it  may  be  said : 

(a)  The  division  must  be  at  the  end  of  a  syllable.  The 
syllable  according  to  etymological  derivation,  and  the 
syllable  according  to  pronounciation,  are  not  always  the 
same.  In  case  of  conflict  the  pronunciation  is  to  be  the 
guide. 

(&)  The  part  in  the  next  line  should,  if  possible,  begin 
with  a  consonant.  An  examination  of  a  number  of  words 
will  show  that  this  is  only  another  way  of  saying  that  we 
should  be  guided  by  pronunciation. 

(c)  Double  letters  are  divided;  as  "  at-tract,"  " profes- 
sion." The  safest  guide  to  follow  is  a  good  dictionary. 

THE  APOSTROPHE 

73.  The  apostrophe  is  used  to  indicate  that  some  letter 
or  letters  of  a  word  are  left  out. 

"E'er"   for  "ever,"  "can't"   for  "cannot,"  "don't"  for 
"  do  not" 

The  apostrophe  is  not  used  when  the  word,  though 
contracted  in  the  middle,  retains  its  original  pronuncia- 
tion ;  as  "  Dr."  or  "  Mr."  But  it  is  used  where  the  con- 
traction is  at  the  end  of  the  word :  "  tho',"  "  Peterboro'." 

74.  The  apostrophe  marks  the  possessive  case  of  nouns. 
The  following  rules  determine  where  it  is  to  be  placed : 

Nouns  in  the  singular  number  — 
(i)  The  letter  "s"  is  added,  and  the  apostrophe  is 
placed  before  it. 


222  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

The  king's  abode.    A  patriot's  reward. 

(2)  If  the  nominative  singular  of  the  noun  ends  in 
"  s,"  another  "  s  "  is  not  added  if  the  repetition  of  hissing 
sounds  would  be  displeasing  to  the  ear.  The  apostrophe 
is  then  placed  at  the  end  of  the  word. 

Hercules'  club.    Augustus'  dignity. 

Words  of  one  syllable  follow  the  first  rule :  "  James's 
share."  Some  words  of  two  syllables  follow  the  first 
rule,  some  the  second :  "  The  princess's  birthday ; " 
"  Francis'  style." 

Nouns  in  the  plural  number  — 

1 i )  The  apostrophe  is  placed  after  the  "  s  "  of  the 
plural. 

Boys'  clothing.    Our  friends'  troubles. 

(2)  If  the  plural  does  not  end  in  "  s,"  an  "  s  "  is  added, 
and  the  apostrophe  is  placed  before  it. 

Men's  opinions.    The  children's  pleasure. 

75.  The  apostrophe  is  used  before  the  "  s  "  of  the  plural 
when  single  letters  are  used  as  words. 

Mind  your  p's  and  q's. 

He  does  not  dot  his  i's  nor  cross  his  t's. 

MARKS  OF  ELLIPSIS 

76.  When,   in  the  middle  of   a  quotation,   a   part  is 
omitted,  several  asterisks  or  (usually)  three  periods  are 
placed  in  a  line  to  mark  the  omission. 

Clarendon  makes  the  following  remark  about  Lord  Falk- 
land :  "  Yet  two  things  he  could  never  bring  himself  to 
whilst  he  continued  in  that  office,  that  was  to  his  death ;  for 
which  he  was  contented  to  be  reproached  as  for  omissions  in 
a  most  necessary  part  of  his  place.  The  one,  employing  of 
spies,  or  giving  any  countenance  or  entertainment  to  them. 
.  .  .  The  other,  the  liberty  of  opening  letters,  upon  a  sus- 
picion that  they  might  contain  matter  of  a  dangerous  con- 
sequence." (One  sentence  omitted.) 

"  The  French  and  Spanish  nations,"  said  Louis  XIV,  "  are 
so  united  that  they  will  henceforth  be  only  one.  .  .  .  My 


THE   ART   OF   PUNCTUATION  223 

grandson,  at  the  head  of  the  Spaniards,  will  defend  the 
French.  I,  at  the  head  of  the  French,  will  defend  the  Span- 
iards." 

If  the  passage  omitted  be  of  very  considerable  length, 
for  instance  if  it  be  a  complete  paragraph,  or  if  a  line  of 
poetry  be  omitted,  the  asterisks  are  placed  in  a  line  by 
themselves.  There  is  a  tendency  to  confine  the  asterisk 
to  such  cases,  and  to  use  periods  for  shorter  ellipses.  If 
a  complete  sentence  be  omitted,  the  number  of  additional 
periods  is  usually  four;  if  a  passage  be  omitted  in  the 
middle  of  a  sentence,  the  number  is  usually  three. 

When  some  of  the  letters  of  a  name  are  omitted,  their 
place  is  supplied  by  a  line  or  a  dash,  the  length  of  which 
depends  on  the  number  of  letters  omitted. 

The  scene  of  our  story  is  laid  in  the  town  of  B .  There 

was  one  H ,  who,  I  learned  in  after  days,  was  seen  ex- 
piating some  maturer  offense  in  the  hulks. 

Blakesmoor  in  H shire. 

REFERENCES  TO   NOTES 

Notes  are  usually  placed  at  the  foot  of  a  page ;  though 
sometimes  they  are  collected  at  the  end  of  a  chapter,  or 
even  at  the  end  of  a  book.  Various  devices  are  in  use  for 
indicating  the  passage  in  the  text  to  which  a  note  refers. 

(1)  The  six  reference  signs:  the  "asterisk"  (*),  the 
"dagger"  (f)   (also  called  the  "obelisk"),  the  "double 
dagger"  ($),  the  "section"  (§),  the  "parallels"  (||), 
the  "  paragraph  "  (fl).     They  are  suitable  only  where  t 
notes  are  placed  at  the  foot  of  a  page,  and  are  invariably 
used  in  this  order.  .       . 

If  the  number  of  notes  in  one  page  exceeds  six,  tl 
signs  are  doubled.     The  seventh  note  is  marked  thus : 
the  eighth,  ff ;  the  ninth,  ft ;  and  so  on.     But  it  is  better 
in  cases  where  the  notes  are  so  numerous,  to  u 
means  of  reference.  (  . 

(2)  Figures:  either  within  parentheses,  as  ( 
(3),  etc.;  or,  more  usually,  printed  in  the  raised  or 


224        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

perior"  form,  as  *  z  3,  etc.  Sometimes  the  first  note  in 
each  page  is  marked  1;  but  it  is  now  common,  in  books 
divided  into  chapters,  to  mark  the  first  note  in  each 
chapter  with  *,  and  then  go  on  with  continuous  numbers 
to  the  end  of  the  chapter. 

"  Superior  "  figures  are  now  the  most  usual  marks  of 
reference  in  English  books. 

(3)  Letters;  which  also  may  either  be  placed  within 
parentheses  or  be  printed  in  "  superior"  form:  (a),  (b), 
(c),  etc.,  or  abc,  etc.  Italic  letters  are  sometimes  used. 
As  a  rule,  the  first  note  in  each  page  is  marked  (a)  or  a. 
If  in  one  page  there  are  more  notes  than  there  are  letters 
in  the  alphabet  (which  sometimes  happens),  we  go  to  (aa), 
(bb) ,  (cc) ,  etc.,  **  bb  cc.  The  letter  "  j  "  is  often  omitted. 

It  is  less  common  to  make  the  letters  continuous  from 
page  to  page. 

The  sign,  whatever  it  may  be,  is  placed  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  note,  but  in  the  text  immediately  after  the 
part  to  which  the  note  refers.  The  note  may  refer  to  a 
whole  sentence,  to  a  part  of  a  sentence,  even  to  a  single 
word ;  the  sign  is  placed,  as  the  case  may  be,  at  the  end 
of  the  sentence,  at  the  end  of  the  part  referred  to,  or  after 
the  single  word. 


CHAPTER  II 

PREPARING  A  MANUSCRIPT  FOR  THE 
PRINTER 

It  comes  continually  within  the  experience  of  publishers 
to  be  asked  by  writers  for  information  about  the  details  of 
typesetting  and  "  make-up  " ;  and,  whereas  these  queries 
are  always  courteously  answered,  a  brief  conversation  or  a 
few  letters  often  fail,  on  the  one  hand,  to  make  the  point 
clear,  and  on  the  other  to  cover  the  necessary  ground. 

In  the  following  pages  we  have  set  forth  the  essential 
points  of  these  matters  briefly,  yet  with  comprehensiveness. 
Those  persons  that  have  had  much  practice  in  writing  for 
the  press  understand  how  important  these  points  are ;  how 
common  it  is  for  even  experienced  authors  to  neglect 
them,  and  that  few  writers  are  seldom  wholly  guiltless  of 
neglect  of  these  rules. 

Manner  of  Preparation. —  Manuscripts  should  be  sub- 
mitted to  an  editor  either  in  typewriting  or  in  handwriting 
that  is  perfectly  legible.  If  handwritten,  black  ink  should 
be  used.  In  either  case,  the  paper  should  be  white,  of 
medium  weight,  and  uniform  in  size.  The  number  of 
words  written  on  each  page  should  be  approximately  the 
same,  to  facilitate  calculation  as  to  the  amount  of  space  it 
will  fill  in  print.  Small  sheets  are  preferable,  8xio 
inches  being  the  best  size.  Half  an  inch  of  space  between 
the  lines  should  be  allowed,  whether  the  manuscript  be 
handwritten  or  typewritten,  and  the  writing  should  be  on 
only  one  side  of  the  sheet.  Typewritten  manuscripts  are 
always  preferable  and  they  receive  the  promptest  at- 
tention. Most  manuscripts  now  sent  to  publishers  are 

typewritten. 

225 


226  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN    GOOD   FORM 

Numbering  of  Pages :  Insertions. —  The  pages  should 
be  numbered  in  regular  order,  from  the  first  page  to  the 
last,  to  the  end  of  the  whole  book ;  not  separately  by  chap- 
ters, as  is  the  frequent  error  of  inexperienced  writers. 
Inserted  pages,  following,  for  example,  page  25,  should 
be  numbered  thus :  25a,  25b,  25c,  etc.,  to  the  end  of  the  in- 
serted matter,  when  the  regular  pagination  should  be  re- 
sumed with  26,  27,  28,  etc. 

Pages  that  have  been  taken  out  should  be  quite  as  care- 
fully accounted  for.  If  pages  25,  26,  27,  and  28  have 
been  thrown  out  for  any  reason,  sheet  24  must  be  marked 
"  24-28."  Additions  at  special  places  on  the  original 
pages,  intended  as  insertions,  should  be  written  on  sepa- 
rate sheets,  fastened  to  the  pages  in  which  they  are  to  be 
inserted,  and  the  place  of  insertion  indicated  thus: 
"  Here  insert  A,"  or  "  Here  insert  B,"  the  new  pages 
being  marked  plainly  on  the  margin  "  A  matter,"  or  "  B 
matter." 

When  one  piece  of  a  page  is  to  be  joined  to  another, 
pins  should  not  be  used,  but  a  smooth  paste,  the  kind 
known  as  photographers'  paste,  or  library  paste,  and  sold 
in  tubes  or  glass  jars.  Pieces  of  paper  pinned  together 
are  in  danger  of  being  separated,  and  thus  may  be  easily 
lost  or  get  hopelessly  disarranged. 

A  manuscript  never  should  have  the  sheets  fastened  to 
one  another  at  the  top  or  at  the  side  except  by  means  of 
strong  clips,  which  are  easily  removable.  If  they  are 
sewn  together,  or  are  fastened  with  eyelets,  the  printers 
in  separating  the  sheets  will  be  likely  to  multilate  them 
and  perhaps  injure  them  seriously.  To  those  unfamiliar 
with  the  process  of  printing  it  should  be  explained  that 
usually  each  printer  in  a  printing  house  puts  into  type 
only  a  part  of  one  manuscript,  and  sometimes  only  a  few 
pages  of  it. 

Paragraphs  should  be  carefully  indicated  by  indenting 
the  first  line  of  each  about  half  an  inch,  or  by  a  paragraph 
mark  (1[) ;  otherwise  it  will  be  difficult  for  the  printers 


PREPARING   A    MANUSCRIPT    FOR   THE   PRINTER 

to  determine  the  intentions  of  the  author  in  regard  to 
them.  Should  the  printer's  arrangement,  as  shown  when 
the  proofs  arrive,  be  found  unsatisfactory,  any  alteration 
will  be  charged  as  the  author's,  since  he  is  supposed  to 
have  arranged  his  manuscript  as  he  wishes  it  to  appear 
when  printed  before  it  has  been  sent  away  to  be  set  up  in 
type. 

Titles:  Number  of  Chapters. —  A  book  containing 
80,000  words  should  have  at  least  ten  chapters.  Fifteen 
would  seldom  be  too  many,  and  the  number  might 
even  be  twenty.  In  a  history  or  a  biography,  or  in  any 
work  of  a  serious  kind,  these  subdivisions  help  ma- 
terially to  open  up  the  text,  showing  the  reader,  at  a  hasty 
examination,  something  of  the  contents.  Each  chapter 
should  be  provided  with  a  title  of  its  own.  This  applies 
to  fiction  as  well  as  to  other  works.  When  the  volume  is 
printed  the  chapter  titles  will  appear  reproduced  at  the 
top  of  each  right-hand  page,  with  the  title  of  the  book  at 
the  top  of  each  left-hand  page.  These  top-page  lines  are 
called  "  running  heads."  They  assist  the  reader  in  ex- 
amining the  book.  Historical  and  biographical  works 
should  have  date-lines  accompanying  each  chapter  title. 

Quotation  Marks;  Foot-notes;  Figures,  etc.— Quo- 
tation marks  should  be  carefully  indicated,  showing  where 
the  quoted  passage  begins  and  where  it  ends.     Foot-notes 
should  be  clearly  designated.     A  systematic  method  is  al- 
ways employed  to  distinguish  them  from  the  body  of  the 
text.     Some  authors  separate  text  from  notes  by  a  heavy 
line  half-way  across  the  foot  of  the  page.    The  word 
"  foot-note  "  should  be  written  on  the  margin  beside  this 
matter      (See  "  References  to  Notes  "  in  Chapter  I,  Part 
III,  on  "  The  Art  of  Punctuation.")     In  a  new  book  fool 
notes  should  be  used  sparingly.     Whenever  possible  tl 
information  should  be  given  in  the  body  of 
When  the  information  consists  of  citations  or  refc 
however,  it  often  cannot  go  anywhere  else  than 
notes. 


228        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

The  utmost  care  should  be  taken  to  write  proper  names, 
figures,  foreign  words  and  phrases  plainly  and  in  full, 
with  their  proper  accents  in  place,  if  they  are  accented 
words,  since  the  printers  will  not  insert  accents  unless 
they  find  them  in  the  "  copy."  Abbreviations  and  signs, 
such  as  MS.,  etc.,  Fig.,  and  the  like,  are  not  good  form  in 
a  purely  literary  work,  but  are  allowable  in  text-books, 
cyclopaedias,  etc. 

Supplying  of  "  Front  Matter." —  Until  reminded  of 
delay,  authors  sometimes  fail  to  supply  essential  portions 
of  their  manuscripts,  such  as  title-pages,  prefaces,  tables 
of  contents,  lists  of  illustrations,  and  indexes  when  neces- 
sary. These  items  —  which  make  up  what  is  called 
"  front  matter  "  by  the  printer,  because  the  pages  contain- 
ing them  are  usually  placed  at  the  beginning  of  a  volume, 
except  the  index  —  are  highly  important  parts  of  a  book, 
and  all,  except  the  index,  which  necessarily  must  be  pre- 
pared later,  should  be  delivered  with  the  manuscript. 

How  to  Prepare  an  Index. —  The  index  of  a  book  is 
sometimes  furnished  on  cards  or  slips,  but  a  better  way  is 
to  write  the  heads  of  subjects  on  sheets  of  the  same  size 
as  the  paper  used  for  the  manuscript  of  the  text.  How- 
ever, if  cards  or  slips  are  used  they  may  be  pasted  on 
sheets  of  the  right  size  and  delivered  in  that  form.  Tech- 
nical books  should  be  indexed  as  fully  as  possible  and 
cross-references  should  be  made,  thus :  In  a  medical 
book  "  Tuberculosis  of  the  lungs  "  should  appear  under 
"  Tuberculosis  of  the  lungs  "  and  also  under  "  Lungs, 
tuberculosis  of  the." 

The  index  is  usually  made  from  the  page  proofs  (see 
Part  III,  Chapter  III  on  "  Press  Composition  and 
Proofs  ").  It  is  desirable  to  have  the  manuscript  of  the 
index  ready  for  the  printers  at  the  earliest  moment,  so  that 
the  printing  may  not  be  delayed.  But  in  case  serious  cor- 
rections have  been  made  on  the  page  proofs,  resulting  in 
any  change  in  the  page  numbers,  the  index  should,  without 
fail,  be  verified  later  from  the  foundry  proofs,  which 


PREPARING   A   MANUSCRIPT   FOR  THE  PRINTER       22Q 

show  the  pages  as  they  will  appear  when  finally  printed. 

Variety  of  Type :  Heads  and  Sub-heads.—  Technical 
books,  which  require  many  heads  and  sub-heads,  should 
have  the  character  of  the  heads  indicated,  thus:  main 
heads,  by  drawing  three  lines  under  them  in  the  manu- 
script; sub-heads,  double  lines,  and  side-heads  (indicating 
the  substance  of  the  first  words  of  a  paragraph)  are 
indicated  by  a  waving  line  drawn  beneath  them,  which 
shows  the  printer  that  he  is  to  set  the  words  in  heavy 
type,  that  shall  make  the  side-head  stand  out  clearly 
from  the  main  text. 

Final  Form  of  the  Manuscript :  Manner  of  Sending 
It. —  Let  it  be  urged  that  the  manuscript  be  delivered  in 
final  and  complete  form  just  as  the  author  wishes  it 
printed.  To  correct  a  manuscript  requires  merely  the 
stroke  of  a  pen ;  whereas  to  correct  type  is  both  laborious 
and  expensive.  The  cost  of  author's  corrections  in  the 
proofs  could  be  avoided  entirely  if  the  original  manuscript 
were  made  absolutely  correct.  It  should  be  gone  over 
with  great  care  before  it  is  forwarded  to  the  publishers. 
Especially  should  typewriters'  errors  as  to  punctuation, 
spelling,  and  the  use  of  capitals  be  corrected. 

Manuscripts  never  should  be  rolled  or  folded,  but 
placed  flat  in  a  box  or  between  boards.  They  should  be 
sent  by  express.  The  charge  is  usually  less  than  when 
sent  by  mail,  and  the  package  can  be  more  easily  traced  in 
case  it  is  lost  in  transit. 

After  the  author  has  read  his  first  proofs,  he  should  in 
all  cases  return  his  manuscript  to  the  printer  when  the 
proofs  are  sent,  so  that  the  printer's  proof-reader  may  be 
able  to  refer  to  it  in  deciding  any  question  or  dispute  in 
the  final  reading. 


CHAPTER  III 
PRESS  COMPOSITION  AND  PROOFS 

Composition  and  Galley  Proofs. —  When  the  composi- 
tion (which  in  this  sense  means  the  setting  up  in  type 
of  any  matter  that  is  to  appear  in  print)  has  been  begun, 
the  lines  of  type  are  laid  by  the  printer  in  a  long,  narrow, 
shallow  receptacle  of  metal  known  as  a  galley.  Type 
enough  to  make  three  or  four  pages  of  a  book  can  be 
placed  on  one  of  these  galleys.  The  first  proof  is  taken 
from  this  type,  and  hence  is  known  as  a  galley  proof. 
After  several  galleys  have  been  filled  with  type,  proofs 
of  the  matter  are  taken  on  long,  narrow  strips  of  paper 
and  are  read  first  by  the  printer's  proof-readers  and  the 
typesetters'  errors  corrected ;  then  new  galley  proofs,  em- 
bodying these  corrections,  are  sent,  with  the  manuscript, 
to  the  author,  who  is  expected  to  read,  correct,  and  re- 
turn these  proofs  with  the  manuscript.  Meanwhile,  the 
composition,  or  typesetting,  is  continued  by  the  printers ; 
more  proofs  are  again  read  and  corrected ;  and  another  set 
of  galleys  is  sent  to  the  author;  and  this  procedure  con- 
tinues until  the  entire  work  is  set  in  galley  proofs. 

Revised  Proofs. —  On  receipt  by  the  printers  of  the 
galley  proofs  from  the  author,  with  his  corrections  marked 
on  them  (these  proofs  now  being  known  as  "  foul 
proofs"),  these  corrections  also  are  made  in  the  type, 
which  is  still  standing  in  the  galley),  and  new  proofs  are 
then  taken.  The  new  proofs  are  known  as  "  revised 
proofs  "  or  "  revises,"  to  distinguish  them  from  the  first 
galley  proofs.  The  revises  are  not  sent  to  the  author  un- 
less specially  requested;  but  the  proof-readers  go  care- 
fully over  them  to  see  that  all  changes  have  been  made 
accurately  in  the  type. 

230 


PRESS   COMPOSITION   AND   PROOFS  23! 

Page  Proofs. —  The  type  is  now  ready  to  be  made  up 
into  pages.  A  given  number  of  type-lines  on  the  galley 
are  measured  off,  lifted  out,  and  placed  on  a  table.  The 
heading  for  the  page  is  then  set  and  added  at  the  top, 
with  a  figure  at  the  top  corner,  or  at  the  bottom  of  the 
page,  to  denote  the  page  number.  These  pages  of  type 
are  tied  together  with  twine  to  hold  them  fast,  and  proofs 
of  them  are  taken.  These  are  known  as  "  page  proofs," 
and  are  supposed  to  contain  no  errors.  Lest  there  should 
have  been  some  slip  by  the  author  in  his  first  reading,  or 
by  the  compositor  in  making  the  author's  changes,  the 
page  proofs  also  are  sent  to  him,  together  with  the  "  foul " 
proofs,  in  order  that  he  may  see  whether  his  corrections 
and  changes  have  been  properly  made. 

Foundry  Proofs. —  The  type  pages  are  then  ready  for 
casting  at  the  foundry.  An  electrotype  plate  for  each 
page  is  made,  this  plate  being  a  solid  piece  of  metal. 
Meanwhile  the  type  is  sent  back  to  the  composing-room, 
where  it  was  originally  set  up,  and  distributed  in  its  own 
cases,  or  "  fonts,"  or  is  melted  up,  because  pages  are  usu- 
ally printed  from  the  plates  and  not  from  the  type  as  first 
set.  Proofs  are  taken  from  the  type  pages,  however,  just 
before  the  plates  are  made.  These  are  known  as 
"  foundry  proofs,"  and  a  set  of  them  is  usually  sent 
to  the  author.  In  books  containing  technical  matter 
a  careful  reading  of  these  final  proofs  should  take  place, 
and  any  error  therein  reported  without  delay,  since  the 
book  is  usually  printed  as  soon  as  these  plates  are  ready ; 
but  sometimes  "  plate  proofs  "  are  read.  An  author  can- 
not be  too  prompt  at  this  point ;  he  should  telephone  or 
telegraph  his  discovery  of  an  error  if  he  lives  at  any 
considerable  distance  from  the  printing-house. 

Foundry  proofs  are  distinguished   from  others  by  a 
heavy  black  rule  around  the  page  made  by  ink  from  pieces 
of  metal,  known  as  "  guards,"  which  are  placed  about  the 
type  to  hold  it  fast  while  the  cast  is  taken,  these  pieces  o 
metal  having  taken  the  place  of  the  twine. 


232        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

Nearly  all  proofs  are  taken  on  wet  paper  from  a  hand- 
press,  which  prevents  the  letters  from  looking  clean  and 
sharp.  The  same  is  true  of  the  proofs  of  illustrations 
taken  by  the  printers.  But  if  the  proofs  of  illustrations 
are  the  kind  known  as  "  engravers'  proofs,"  they  show  the 
illustrations  very  nearly  as  they  will  appear  in  the  book. 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  ART  OF  PROOF-READING 

Correcting  Galley  Proofs. —  When  proofs  first  reach 
an  author,  they  are  supposed  to  conform  accurately  to  the 
manuscript  as  he  has  furnished  it.  The  compositor  has 
completed  his  part  of  the  work  up  to  that  point.  Proofs, 
both  galley  and  page,  are  sent  to  the  author  in  duplicate, 
the  galley  proofs  being  accompanied  by  the  manuscript. 
The  author  should  make  all  his  corrections  on  the  set 
having  a  memorandum  rubber-stamped  in  colored  ink,  and 
return  them,  with  the  manuscript,  to  the  publisher  or  the 
printer,  according  to  previous  arrangement.  The  dupli- 
cate set  of  proofs  should  be  retained  by  him  for  reference, 
or  for  use  in  case  the  originals  should  be  lost.  The 
author  should  transfer  to  his  duplicate  set  the  changes  he 
makes  on  the  set  he  sends  back  to  the  printers.  All  proofs 
with  the  rubber-stamping  in  colored  ink  must  go  back  to 
the  printers  —  galley,  page,  and  foundry  proofs. 

A  clause  in  the  contract  between  the  author  and  the 
publishers  provides  that  the  publishers  shall  pay  only  a 
fixed  percentage  of  the  cost  of  the  author's  proof  cor- 
rections, this  percentage  being  reckoned  on  the  original 
cost  of  the  composition  and  the  electrotype  plates.  For 
example,  in  a  book  of  400  pages,  which  might  cost  for 
composition  and  plates  $400,  there  would  be  an  allowance 
of  $40  to  the  author  for  corrections,  if  the  percentage 
were  ten  per  cent.,  or  of  $60  if  the  percentage  were  15 
per  cent.  When  authors  receive  their  first  royalty  state 
ment,  they  often  fail  to  understand  why  this  sum  was  < 
ceeded,  especially  if  they  are  unfamiliar  with  the  c 
of  type-setting  and  electrotyping. 

233 


234  GOOD   ENGLISH   IN   GOOD   FORM 

To  add  a  single  word  in  the  proofs,  if  the  word  be  of 
different  length  from  the  excluded  word,  may  involve  the 
resetting  of  several  lines ;  and  to  add  a  single  word  after 
the  plate  has  been  made  may  sometimes  cost  as  much  as 
the  original  composition  and  plate  of  an  entire  page.  In 
a  typesetting  machine,  the  changing  of  a  single  letter  or 
punctuation  mark  requires  the  resetting  of  the  whole  line. 

To  insure  the  least  cost,  all  author's  corrections  should 
be  made  on  the  first  galley  proofs.  With  a  little  care,  cor- 
rections in  galleys  can  be  minimised.  When  confined  to 
the  occasional  substitution  of  one  word,  or  of  several 
words  of  about  the  same  length,  the  cost  is  usually  small. 
But  the  cancellation  or  addition  of  half  a  line  will  re- 
quire an  over-running  of  type  from  that  point  to  the  end 
of  the  paragraph,  which  may  mean  the  space  of  a  page, 
or  even  more  if  the  paragraph  is  long.  If  several  other 
changes  should  be  made  in  the  same  paragraph,  it  would 
be  found  easier  to  reset  it  entirely,  doubling  the  cost. 
A  galley  proof  sometimes  contains  so  many  corrections 
that  the  whole  galley  must  be  reset. 

Costly  Corrections. —  An  author  never  should  make 
alterations  on  a  page  proof  if  he  can  avoid  doing  so.  In 
the  galleys  there  is  flexibility  for  additions  and  elimina- 
tions, but  in  the  pages  the  mass  of  type  is  fixed  accurately 
to  the  line.  When  an  author  makes  a  change  in  a  page 
proof,  it  should  be  remembered  that  if  several  words  or  a 
sentence  are  added,  it  may  be  necessary  for  the  printers 
to  reset  virtually  every  line  on  that  page,  and  possibly 
to  over-run  all  pages  to  the  end  of  the  chapter.  Should 
the  pages  contain  illustrations  this  difficulty  will  become 
still  greater,  so  that  it  might  be  less  costly  to  reset  the 
entire  page,  or  even  more.  Corrections  in  page  proofs, 
therefore,  when  made  at  all,  should  if  possible  be  limited 
to  the  space  of  the  page,  the  matter  taken  out  and  the  new 
matter  put  in  containing  the  same  number  of  letters. 

Foundry-Reading. —  When  the  author's  page  proofs 
and  foul  proofs  have  been  returned  to  the  printers,  any 


THE  ART  OF  PROOF-READING  235 

new  corrections  indicated  by  the  author  are  made  in  the 
type.  A  proof-reader  again  reads  the  pages  over,  to  make 
sure  that  the  first  proof-reader  and  the  author  have  not 
overlooked  any  errors.  This  is  called  foundry-reading. 
Should  the  foundry-reader  detect  any  errors  in  going  over 
these  proofs,  he  either  corrects  them  himself  or  returns 
the  page  on  which  errors  occur  for  the  author  to  answer 
the  query  or  approve  the  correction  made  by  the  foundry- 
reader. 

On  all  proofs  the  abbreviation  "  Qy."  for  "  query/'  or 
an  interrogation  mark  (?),  should  always  be  answered. 
They  mean  that  a  question  has  come  up  among  the  printers 
as  to  a  statement  made  or  an  apparent  inconsistency,  and 
the  author  alone  can  answer  it. 

Letters  about  corrections  should  not  be  sent  direct  to 
the  publishers  unless  it  should  have  been  found  impossible 
to  make  the  corrections  on  the  proofs  themselves.  The 
publishers'  office  and  the  printing-house  are  frequently  in 
different  parts  of  a  town,  if  not  in  different  towns,  or  even 
in  different  States. 

If  corrections  are  to  be  made  for  a  new  edition  of  a 
book,  the  author  should  ask  the  publisher  to  send  him  a 
set  of  sheets  on  which  to  mark  the  corrections.  By  this 
means  accuracy  will  be  best  secured. 

Promptness.—  Let  it  be  repeated  that  all  proofs  should 
be  returned  promptly.  The  holding  back  of  proofs  de- 
lays publication.  Pages  cannot  be  made  up  until  the  re- 
turn of  galley  proofs  in  consecutive  order.  If  there  are 
serious  delays  the  publishers  may  not  be  able  to  issue  the 
book  at  the  proper  season,  and  the  loss  thus  incurred  will 
fall  on  the  author  as  well  as  the  publisher. 

Authors  unfamiliar  with  the  technical  marks 
correcting  proofs  will  find  great  help  in  studying 
following  pages,  wherein  are  given  specimen  proof-sheets, 
uncorrected  and  corrected,  showing  the  markings  most 
commonly  used,  with  full  explanations  of  their  meaning 
A  perfect  understanding  and  mastery  of  these  important 


236        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

details  should  enable  any  person  with  a  fair  education  to 
become  a  good  proof-reader ;  and  the  broader  his  educa- 
tion and  field  of  general  information  the  better  chance 
does  he  stand  of  becoming  accomplished  in  the  art  to  a 
degree  that  may  be  profitable  to  him  in  a  pecuniary  way. 

An  author  sometimes  asks  whether  the  changes  marked 
on  his  proofs  are  made  at  his  expense.  The  answer  is 
that  only  the  corrections  that  he  himself  makes,  or  orders 
to  be  made,  are  charged  to  him. 

When  two  or  more  persons  read  the  proofs,  one  set  only 
—  that  which  bears  the  printers'  stamp  on  it  —  embody- 
ing all  the  corrections,  should  be  returned  to  the  printers. 

Proof-Readers'  Marks. —  The  marks  of  proof-readers 
are  corrections  intended  for  the  printer,  made  on  proof- 
sheets,  which  may  be  said  to  consist  of  two  parts:  I. 
The  body  of  type,  which  is  to  be  corrected,  and  2.  The 
broad  white  margin,  on  which  the  corrections  are  marked. 
The  technical  marks  employed  by  compositors  to  correct 
errors  have  been  the  same  from  the  infancy  of  the  art 
of  printing  until  the  present  day,  and  by  long  use  have 
approved  themselves  to  all  who  read  proofs  for  the  press. 
There  are  few  industrial  occupations  demanding  more 
exacting  application  than  proof-reading.  There  can  be 
none  in  which  wide  reading  and  general  knowledge  are 
more  useful.  But  qualities  more  than  these  are  required 
to  make  a  good  proof-reader,  for  a  practical  knowledge 
of  the  art  of  printing  is  almost  indispensable.  The  dis- 
cernment of  bad  style,  of  wrong  use  of  type,  and  many 
other  matters  can  be  acquired  only  by  practical  training  in 
a  printing-office,  where  a  proof-reader's  work  is  trying  to 
the  eyes  and  exhaustive  of  nervous  energy,  even  if  it  be 
well  paid. 

First  proof  comes  to  an  author  from  the  printer  in 
"galley"  form,  having  in  the  top  right-hand  corner  its 
consecutive  number  as  a  piece  of  work  done  by  the  par- 
ticular printing-house  that  sets  up  the  type;  and  with  it 


THE  ART   OF   PROOF-READING  237 

printers  usually  send  printed  directions  to  non-profes- 
sional proof-readers,  in  terms  like  the  following: 

1.  Read  carefully,  ESPECIALLY  for  errors  in  NAMES,  ADDRESSES, 
and  technical  words. 

2.  Return  the  ORIGINAL  COPY  with  the  proof. 

3.  Write  on  proof  order  for  NUMBER  OF  COPIES  WANTED,  if  not 
already  given. 

4.  Mark  "  O.K.,"  or  "  O.K.  with  alterations,"  as  the  case  may 
be,  signing  your  name,  so  that  the  printer  may  know  proof  has 
reached  the  proper  person. 

5.  Do  not  send  verbal  explanations  by  messenger  when  it  is 
possible  to  write  them. 

In  order  to  exhibit  the  methods  of  correction,  such 
a  proof-sheet  as  that  given  on  page  239  shows  far  more 
errors  than  is  usual  in  any  well-composed  or  corrected 
proof  reaching  an  author.  As  we  show  the  student  how 
to  consider  and  correct  the  errors  in  sequence  and  detail, 
we  may  say  that  there  are  two  general  classes  of  correc- 
tion-marks: i.  Those  marked  in  the  body  of  the  type,  to 
point  out  the  exact  location  of  any  needed  correction ; 
2.  Those  written  in  the  margin,  to  show  the  nature  of  the 
correction  desired  to  be  made.  In  their  turn,  each  of 
these  is  subdivided ;  the  marks  inserted  in  the  type  com- 
prising,—  (a),  Strokes  drawn  through  letters,  words,  or 
marks  of  punctuation;  (b),  Carets  and  inverted  carets; 
(c),  Horizontal  curves;  and  (d),  Underscoring  with  lines 
and  dots.  The  signs  used  in  the  margin  may  be  classified 
as  (e),  Words,  letters,  punctuation,  etc.,  that  are  intended 
to  take  the  place  of  errors  in  the  type,  or  to  supply  omis- 
sions; (/),  Abbreviations  of  such  terms  as  "transpose," 
"  wrong  font,"  etc., —  words  which  indicate  to  the  com- 
positor the  kind  of  error  that  has  been  committed ;  and 
(g),  Certain  conventional  signs,  which  have  come  down  to 
us  from  the  earliest  days  of  the  art  of  printing, 
two  classes  of  signs  should  always  be  used  in  conjunction. 
Every  error  marked  in  the  type  must  have  a  correspond- 
ing mark  in  the  margin,  to  attract  the  compositor's  at- 


238        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

tention.  No  mark  should  be  made  in  the  margin  which 
has  not  some,  corresponding  mark  in  the  type.  But  the 
two  classes  of  marks  must  be  kept  in  their  proper  places. 
In  the  type  are  to  be  placed  only  those  marks  which  indi- 
cate the  place  at  which  an  error  has  been  made.  The 
margin  is  reserved  for  marks  denoting  the  nature  of  the 
desired  correction. 

Though  the  errors  possible  of  occurrence  in  the  setting 
of  type,  whether  from  poor  copy  or  careless  or  incompe- 
tent compositors,  are  numerous,  all,  or  nearly  all,  of  them 
may  be  classified  and  arranged  under  the  following  heads : 

1.  The   need   of   insertion   of   new   or  omitted  matter; 

2.  The  expunging  or  striking  out  of  letters,  signs,  or  mat- 
ter improperly  inserted;  3.  The  substitution  of  other  let- 
ters, signs,  or  matter  in  the  place  of  errors ;  4.  Transposi- 
tion; 5.  Inversion;  6.  Spacing. 

The  errors,  and  the  method  of  correcting  them,  are  illus- 
trated on  the  pages  immediately  following.  In  the  ex- 
planation of  them  the  numbers  that  stand  at  the  heads  of 
paragraphs  refer  to  the  corresponding  numbers  on  the 
page. 

EXPLANATION  OF  THE  CORRECTIONS.  Line  I.  The  centering  of  a 
heading.  In  the  type:  The  sign  ],  drawn  approximately  where 
the  end  of  the  heading  should  come,  with  the  open  side  of  the 
sign  toward  the  type.  In  the  margin:  The  word  "center." 

Line  2.  The  use  of  an  ornament  too  small  to  conform  to  good 
style.  In  the  type:  A  horizontal  line  under  the  ornament.  In  the 
margin:  The  words  "  larger  ornament."  The  use  of  an  ornament 
in  line  5  requires  a  distinction  in  size. 

Line  3.  The  use  of  a  heading  too  small  in  type-size,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  size  of  the  page.  In  the  type:  The  type  underscored 
by  a  single  horizontal  line.  In  the  margin:  The  word  "larger," 
or  specific  and  technical  description  of  the  size  and  face  of  type 
desired  —  for  the  latter  a  knowledge  of  printing  types  is  neces- 
sary. 

Line  4.  Italics  to  Roman.  In  the  type:  One  line  under  the 
words  to  be  changed.  In  the  margin:  The  abbreviation  "  Rom." 

Line  6.  Change  of  font.  In  the  type:  A  stroke  under  or 
through  the  letter  or  word  to  be  changed.  In  the  margin:  The 
abbreviation  "w.f."  ("wrong  font").  The  letter  "g"  in  the 


THE   ART    OF    PROOF-READING 


239 


H 


f 

J- 

A/ 
y 

H 


A    26 

V  27 
28 
29 
30 

/   32 

33 

34 


SPECIMEN-SHEET.] 


POETS.  SAGES.  WARRIORS. 

\_Uniform  with  Tht  Historians  Ser/et.] 


Sage  of  Concord  (The),  RALPH  WALDO  EMERA 
SON,  Boston,  United  States,  author  of  Lift 
Ethics  (1838),   Poems  (1846),   Representative 
(1850),  English  Traits  (1856),  and  numerous  other 
works  (1803/1882)*,' 

^'  In  Mr.  Emerson  we  have  a  poet  and  a  profoundly  refift- 
,jous  man  who  is  really  and  ^entirely  undajinted>xT)y'<1ne 
discoveries  of^pasl,  present,  or  prospective/science^  In 
hisjcasc,  poetry,  with  the  joy  of  a  J»acchaTJatr-ta4rts  her 
graver  brother  science  by  the  Rand,  and  cheers  him  with 
immoral  laughter,  j 
tr 


imersoTrSaentific^onceptions  are  continually  trans-     JF 
muted  into  the  finer  forms  and  warmer  lines  of  an  ideal       ^ 
world. ' '  /v  PROFESSOR  TYNDALL,  Fragments  of  Science.  [J1  No     JZT 
one  who  has  conversed  with  the  Sage  of  Concord  •««*  JJ 

can  wonder  at  the  love  which  his  neighbors  feel  for  himj   J[£d. 
tTTe^reverenceVis  regarded  by  the  scholars  of  England  ^         — 


end  America." — Neidsftaper  Biographical  Sketch, 

Sage  of  Monticello  (The),  Thomag  JEFFER 
SON,  the  third  ^resident  of  the   United  States,    j 
\yhose  country  scat  was  at  Mont^ello.  *^ 

AAs  from  the  grave  where  Henry  sleeps,, 
'    From  Vernon's  weeping  willow. 
As  from  the  grassy  pall  which  hides 
The  Sage  of  Monticello, 


Virginia^  o'er  thy  land  of  ^laves, 
A  warning  voice  is  swelling./*. 

WHLTTIER,  voices  of  Fretdoin  (1835}. 

MARKING  A  PAGE  OF  PROOF 


24O  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 


SPECIMEN-SHEET. 
* 

POETS,  SAGES,  WARRIORS. 

[Uniform  with  .the  Historians  Series.] 
* 

Sage  of  Concord  (The),  RALPH  WALDO  EMER- 
SON, Boston,  United  States,  author  of  ^Literary 
Ethics  (1838),  Poems  (1846),  Representative,  Men. 
(1850),  English  Traits  (1856),  and  numerous  other, 
works  (1803-1882). 

"  In  Mr.  Emerson  we  have  a  poet  and  a  profoundly  re- 
ligions man,  who  is  really  and  entirely  undaunted  by  the 
discoveries  of  science,  past,  present,  or  prospective.  In 
his  case,  poetry,  with  the  joy  of  a  Bacchanal,  takes  her 
graver  brother  science  by  the  hand,  and  cheers  him  with 
immortal  laughter.  By  Emerson,  scientific  conceptions 
are  continually  transmuted  into  the  finer  forms  and 
warmer  lines  of  an  ideal  world."— PROFESSOR  TYNDALL, 
Fragments  of  Science. 

"  "  No  one  who  has  conversed  with  the  Sage  of  Concord 
can,  wonder  at  the  love  which  his  neighbors  feel  for  him, 
or  the  reverence  with  vvhich  he  is  regarded  by  the  scholars 
of  England  and  America. ' ' — Newspaper  Biographical  Sketch, 
May,  1879. 

Sage  of  Monticello  (The),  THOMAS  JEFFER- 
SON, the  third  President  of  the  United  States, 
whose  country  seat  was  at  Monticello. 

"  As  from  the  grave  where  Henry  sleeps, 

From  Vernon's  weeping  willow. 
And  from  the  grassy  pall  which  hides 

The  Sage  of  Monticello,  .  .  . 

Virginia!  o'er  thy  land  of  slaves 

A  warning  voice  is  swelling." 

WHITTIER,  Voices,  of  Freedom  (1835). 

THE  PROOF-PAGE  CORRECTED 


THE   ART   OF    PROOF-READING  24! 

word  "  Sage "  is  lighter- faced  than  the  other  letters,  as  will  be 
seen  by  comparison. 

Roman  to  Italics.  In  the  type:  One  line  under  the  word  to  be 
changed.  In  the  margin:  The  abbreviation  "  Ital." 

The  insertion  of  an  omitted  hyphen.  In  the  type:  A 
caret,  /\,  at  the  point  where  the  correction  is  desired.  In  the 
margin:  A  hyphen  between  slanting  lines;  thus,  /-/. 

Lines  7-8.  The  insertion  of  an  omitted  "  lead."  In  the  type: 
A  caret,  <,  the  apex  pointing  between  the  lines  where  the  lead 
has  been  left  out.  In  the  margin:  The  abbreviation  "Id.,"  for 
lead,  written  in  the  angle  of  the  caret. 

Line  9.  The  substitution  of  a  perfect  for  a  defective  type.  In 
the  type:  A  line  under  or  through  the  defective  letter.  In  the 
margin:  A  small  cross,  X. 

Line  10.  The  insertion  of  an  en-dash  instead  of  a  hyphen 
between  connected  and  inclusive  dates.  In  the  type:  A  stroke 
through  the  hyphen.  In  the  margin:  An  en-dash  between  slant- 
ing lines. 

The  insertion  of  an  omitted  period.  In  the  type:  A  caret  at 
the  place  of  omission.  In  the  margin:  A  period  encircled  by  a 
ring. 

Line  n.  Indenting  for  a  paragraph.  In  the  type:  A 
caret  at  the  place  where  the  indentation  is  to  be  made.  In  the 
margin:  A  square.  Another  marginal  sign  for  a  paragraph  is 
made  thus :  II 

Lines  11-12.  The  wrong  division  of  a  word.  In  the  type:  A 
stroke  through  the  letters  out  of  place  and  a  caret  where  they 
should  be  inserted.  In  the  margin:  The  dele,  or  sign  of  omis- 
sion, 8  (the  dele  —  a  Latin  imperative  meaning  "  destroy  "- 
made  in  a  variety  of  ways,  all  resembling,  in  some  degree,  the 
Greek  letter  5),  and  the  expunged  letter  or  letters  written  op- 
posite its  appropriate  line,  followed  by  a  slanting  stroke. 

Line  12.  The  correction  of  improper  spacing  between  words  or 
letters.  In  the  type  and  margin:  Inverted  carets. 

Line  13.    A  transposition  desired.    In  the  type:    A  circle 
thrown  about  the  word,  and  a  line  carried  between  the  type  hi 
to  a  caret  at  the  point  where  the  insertion  is  to  be  made.    , 
margin:     The  abbreviation  "tr." 

To  transpose  two  words.    In  the  type:    A  line  passed  ov( 
first  word  and  under  and  around  the  second.    In  the  i 

Changing  the "ord/r  of  several  words.    In  the  type:    Numbers 
placed  over  the  words  to  be  transposed,  so  as  to  .    iicate  the 
order  in  which  they  are  to  be  arranged.    In  the  margin 
abbreviation  "tr." 


242  GOOD   ENGLISH    IN   GOOD   FORM 

In  transposing  letters  a  curved  line  is  sometimes  passed  above 
the  first  and  below  the  second. 

Change  of  punctuation.  Comma  to  period.  In  the  type:  A 
stroke  through  the  comma.  In  the  margin:  A  period  enclosed 
in  a  circle.  Period  to  comma.  In  the  type:  A  stroke  through 
the  period.  In  the  margin:  A  comma,  followed  by  a  slanting 
stroke. 

Line  14.  Depressing  a  space.  In  the  type:  A  line  through  the 
space.  In  the  margin:  A  vertical  dash  resting  on  a  shorter 
horizontal  dash,  or,  often,  a  semicircle.  (Spaces  and  quads  (or 
quadrats)  are  pieces  of  type-metal  used  to  space  out  the  lines  of 
type.  Although  not  as  high  as  the  pieces  bearing  the  type- faces, 
they  sometimes  are  elevated  so  as  to  appear  in  the  proof.) 

Change  of  type.  Lower  case  to  capital.  In  the  type:  A  stroke 
through  the  letter  to  be  changed.  In  the  margin:  The  abbrevia- 
tion "  cap,"  or  the  letter  with  three  lines  thereunder  and  a  slanting 
line  beside  it.  (Small  letters  are  called,  by  printers,  lower-case 
letters;  capitals  and  small  capitals,  upper-case  letters.  A  change 
from  upper  to  lower  case  is  indicated  by  underscoring  once  the 
word  in  the  type  and  writing  the  abbreviation  "  I.e."  in  the  margin. 
The  common  method  of  indicating  a  change  from  a  lower  to  an 
upper-case  letter  is  to  draw  a  line  through  the  letter  in  the  type, 
and  to  place  in  the  margin  the  same  letter  underscored  twice  for 
small  capitals  and  thrice  for  capitals.  See  also  line  24.) 

Line  15.  A  letter  inverted.  In  the  type:  A  stroke  under  the 
inverted  letter.  In  the  margin:  The  inversion  sign. 

Line  16.  The  insertion  of  an  omitted  letter.  In  the  type:  A 
caret,  showing  the  point  at  which  the  letter  is  to  be  supplied. 
In  the  margin:  The  omitted  letter,  followed  by  a  slanting  line. 

Lines  16-17.  Two  separate  paragraphs  to  be  united  in  one.  In 
the  type:  A  curved  line  drawn  from  the  end  of  the  first  para- 
graph to  the  beginning  of  the  second.  In  the  margin:  "No  11." 
The  words  "  run  in  "  are  also  frequently  used. 

Line  17.  Insert  space  between  words.  In  the  type:  A 
caret,  or  a  slanting  stroke,  /,  between  the  letters  to  be  separated. 
In  the  margin:  The  sign  #. 

Line  19.  The  insertion  of  an  em-dash.  In  the  type:  A 
caret,  at  the  place  where  the  omission  is  to  be  supplied.  In 
the  margin:  An  em-dash  between  slanting  lines. 

The  beginning  of  a  fresh  paragraph.  In  the  type:  The  sign  [, 
marked  where  the  paragraph  should  begin,  with  the  open  side  of 
sign  toward  the  trend  of  the  type.  In  the  margin :  The  sign  1f. 

Line  20.  The  elision  of  a  repeated  word,  called  a  "  doublet." 
In  the  type:  A  stroke  drawn  through  one  of  the  words  consti- 
tuting the  doublet.  In  the  margin:  The  dele-mark,  8. 


THE   ART   OF    PROOF-READING  243 

Lines  21-22.  To  take  out  a  lead  improperly  inserted.  In  the 
type:  A  caret  between  the  lines,  with  the  apex  pointing 
away  from  the  lines  in  question.  In  the  margin:  The  dele-mark, 
3,  and  the  abbreviation  "Id."  (8  Id.). 

Line  22.  The  insertion  of  an  omitted  clause.  In  the  type:  A 
caret  showing  the  point  at  which  the  words  are  to  be  supplied. 
In  the  margin:  The  omitted  clause,  from  which  is  drawn  a  line 
to  the  caret  in  the  type. 

When  the  omitted  passage  is  so  long  that  to  rewrite  it  in  the 
margin  would  be  a  waste  of  time,  the  printer  is  referred  to  the 
original  manuscript.  In  such  case  a  caret  is  placed  in  the  type 
and  the  words  "  out,  see  copy,  page  — "  (giving  the  folio  of  the 
copy),  or  "out,  s.c.,"  are  written  in  the  margin.  In  the  manu- 
script the  omitted  words  should  be  inclosed  in  brackets,  preferably 
with  a  colored  pencil,  and  "  out"  written  at  the  place  of  omission. 

Lines  22-23.  Straightening  crooked  lines  of  type.  In  the  type: 
The  depressed  words  or  letters  inclosed  by  parallel  perpendicular 
lines.  In  the  margin:  Short  parallel  horizontal  lines. 

Line  23.  The  elision  of  a  hyphen  between  words  and  the 
closing  up  of  the  improperly  compounded  word.  In  the  type:  A 
slanting  line  drawn  through  the  hyphen,  with  the  sign,  meaning 
close  up,  above  and  below.  In  the  margin:  The  double  mark. 

Line  24.  The  changing  of  lower  case  to  small  capitals.  In  the 
type:  Two  lines  under  the  words  to  be  changed.  In  the  mar- 
gin: The  abbreviation  "s.  caps.,"  or  "  sm.  caps."  See  also 
line  14. 

Line.  25.  The  capitalizing  of  a  letter.  In  the  type:  A  slanting 
line  through  the  letter.  In  the  margin:  The  capital  letter  de- 
sired, with  three  lines  drawn  under  it 

The  substitution  of  one  letter  for  another.  In  the  type:  A 
stroke  through  the  letter.  In  the  margin:  The  letter  which  is 
to  be  substituted  for  that  in  the  type,  followed  by  a  slanting  line. 
(The  slanting  line  serves  both  to  attract  the  printer's  eye  and  t 
separate  one  letter  or  word  from  another,  in  case  two  or  more 
corrections  are  made  in  the  same  line  of  type.) 

Line  26.  The  uniting  of  improperly  separated  parts  of  a  word. 
In  the  type:  Horizontal  curves,  inclosing  the  separated  parts. 
In  the  margin:  Horizontal  curves. 

The  restoration  of  a  word  which  has  been  stricken  out.    1*1* 
type:     A  line   of  dots^  under  the  word.    In  the  margin: 
Latin  word  stet  ("let  it  stand"). 

Line  27.    The  insertion  of  quotation  marks,  or  inverted  < 
mas.    In  the  type:     A  caret,  at  the  point  where  the  quotation 
marks,  or  inverted  commas,  are  to  be  inserted.    In  ti 
Quotation-marks,    or    inverted   commas,    in    an    mver 


244        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

(The  inverted  caret  serves  also  to  distinguish  the  apostrophe 
from  the  comma. 

Line  29.  A  dirty  or  "filled"  letter.  In  the  type:  A  stroke 
under  the  defective  letter.  In  the  margin:  A  small  cross,  x. 

Line  30.  The  insertion  of  three  spaced  periods  at  the  end  of 
line  30,  instead  of  the  line  of  asterisks  in  line  31,  to  mark  an 
intentional  hiatus,  or  omission.  In  the  type:  A  line  through  the 
asterisks.  In  the  margin:  Line  30,  three  spaced  periods  in  a 
ring;  line  31,  the  dele-mark,  S.  This  alteration  is  one  made  for 
style  and  neatness. 

Line  32.    The  substitution  of  an  exclamation  mark  for  a  comma. 

Line  33.    The  insertion  of  apostrophes  at  end  of  quotation. 

The  page,  when  marked,  is  returned  to  the  printer, 
who  makes  all  necessary  corrections.  The  compositor  is 
usually  paid  by  time  for  making  corrections,  and  a  serious 
item  of  expense  for  what  are  called  "  author's  correc- 
tions "  will  be  incurred  by  numerous  or  unnecessary  alter- 
ations. In  some  offices  a  ring  or  loop  is  drawn  round  the 
marginal  mark  of  an  error  which  is  not  the  fault  of  a 
compositor.  Obviously,  the  more  nearly  perfect  is  the 
technical  preparation  of  a  manuscript  —  in  the  details  of 
punctuation,  capitalizing,  paragraphing,  etc. —  the  smaller 
will  be  the  charge  for  author's  corrections. 

A  few  general  suggestions  are  necessary. 

In  cases  of  doubt,  strike  out  the  matter  to  be  corrected  and  re- 
write it  in  the  margin  exactly  as  it  should  appear  in  the  type. 

The  logotypes  fi,  ffi,  are  used  instead  of  the  separate  fi,  ffi. 
When  ae  is  desired  in  place  of  ae,  it  is  indicated  by  a  horizontal 
line  or  curve  above  the  two  letters. 

The  following  errors  are  somewhat  difficult  of  detection :  I. 
Changes  of  font,  when  the  types  of  the  two  fonts  are  much  alike ; 
2.  Inversion  of  s  and  x;  3.  The  occurrence  of  inverted  n,  u,  b, 
and  p,  for  u,  n,  q  and  d,  respectively. 

Differences  in  fonts  can  be  learned  only  by  experience.  The 
principal  differences  are  in  the  shape  of  the  letters,  the  thickness 
or  blackness  of  the  lines,  and  the  size  of  the  face. 

The  spacing  of  the  punctuation  requires  some  care :  notice  that 
the  comma  follows  immediately  the  preceding  word,  but  is  sep- 
arated by  a  slight  space  from  the  word  that  follows ;  that  the  semi- 
colon and  colon  stand  a  little  distance  from  the  preceding  word; 
that  the  period  is  followed  by  a  considerably  greater  space  than 
the  other  points. 


THE  ART   OF   PROOF-READING  245 

Type  is  set  either  "  solid,"  that  is,  without  spacing  between  the 
lines,  or  "  leaded,"  that  is,  with  the  lines  separated  by  thin  strips 
of  type-metal  known  as  "  leads."  When  but  one  "  lead  "  is  used 
between  each  pair  of  lines,  the  type  is  said  to  be  "  single-leaded  " ; 
when  two  "  leads  "  are  used,  the  type  is  said  to  be  "  double-leaded." 
Errors  in  leading  are  of  two  kinds :  I.  Omitting  leads ;  and  2. 
Inserting  them  where  they  are  not  needed.  See  lines  7-8,  21-22. 

Words  may  be  carried  up  or  down,  to  the  right  or  the  left,  by 
means  of  brackets  placed  about  the  words  and  repeated  in  the 
margin  in  such  a  way  as  to  indicate  the  direction  of  movement 
desired. 

Corrections  are  made  in  the  margin  nearest  which  they  occur. 
If  the  corrections  are  numerous,  it  is  well  to  draw  lines  from  the 
marks  in  the  type  to  those  in  the  margin. 

The  bibliography  of  proof-reading  is  that  of  the  art 
of  printing,  of  which  it  forms  a  part.  Mention  may  be 
made  of  A.  N.  Sherman's  Printer^  Manual  (1834) ;  Mac- 
Kellar's  American  Printer;  The  American  Dictionary  of 
Printing  and  Bookbinding;  William  Blades's  Pentateuch 
of  Printing. 


CHAPTER  V 
PREPARATION  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Instructions  Regarding  Illustrations. —  Material  and 
instructions  for  illustrations  should  be  furnished  to  the 
publishers  apart  from  the  manuscript,  as  the  intended 
illustrations,  known  as  "  engraver's  copy,"  is  used  only 
by  the  engraver ;  whereas  the  manuscript,  or  "  printer's 
copy,"  is  used  only  by  the  printers.  If  the  two  kinds  of 
copy  are  furnished  in  one  mass,  they  must  be  separated 
by  the  publishers.  It  is  not  necessary  that  the  proper 
places  for  the  illustrations  be  indicated  on  the  margins  of 
the  manuscript.  The  place  for  such  instructions  is  on 
the  margins  of  the  galley  proofs. 

How  to  send  Drawings,  Prints,  etc. —  Drawings, 
prints,  and  unmounted  photographs  should  not  be  folded 
or  rolled,  but  furnished  flat.  Valuable  books,  from  which 
illustrations  are  to  be  copied,  should  be  covered  with 
strong  paper,  in  order  to  avoid  soiling  them  by  handling 
in  the  various  departments  of  an  engraving  establish- 
ment. Pictures  to  be  reproduced  from  books  should  be 
described  in  written  lists,  not  indicated  by  slips  of  paper 
inserted  between  leaves.  Such  slips,  if  accidentally 
dropped  out,  cannot  always  be  properly  replaced. 

Illustrations  in  Relief  or  in  Half-tone. —  Relief  illus- 
trations, whether  engraved  in  line  or  in  stipple,  can  be 
printed  on  ordinary  book  paper,  but  those  made  by  the 
half-tone  process  require  a  coated  paper,  which,  being  less 
flexible  in  binding  and  more  expensive,  is  used  chiefly 
for  books  containing  a  large  number  of  half-tone  plates  of 
varying  sizes,  some  being  set  into  the  text. 

For  a  book  containing  no  half-tones,  one  class  of  paper, 

246 


PREPARATIONS   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS  247 

not  coated,  is  used  throughout.  But  in  a  book  to  be  illus- 
trated with  half-tones  in  addition  to  the  "  line  cuts,"  as 
they  are  called,  two  kinds  must  be  used  —  the  ordinary 
paper  and  the  coated.  In  such  cases  it  is  desirable  that 
the  number  of  half-tones  shall  be  limited  to  4  or  8,  or  to 
the  multiples  of  4  or  8.  They  must  each  be  made  of  the 
uniform  size  of  a  full  page  of  the  book,  so  that  they  can 
be  printed  separately  on  the  coated  paper.  Such  illus- 
trations are  pasted  in  by  the  bookbinder  and  are  called 
"  insets."  Insets  add  materially  to  the  expense  of  bind- 
ing. If  the  half-tones  are  very  numerous,  it  may  be 
found  best,  as  a  matter  of  economy,  to  print  the  entire 
book  on  a  coated  paper,  though  this  kind  of  paper  makes  a 
very  heavy  book  and  is  not  flexible. 

Illustrations  in  colors  are  usually  given  as  full-page  in- 
sets ;  and  a  separate  printing  is  required  for  each  color. 

Proofs  of  Illustrations. —  When  the  number  of  illus- 
trations and  their  size  and  style  of  treatment  have  been 
decided,  the  photographs  or  drawings  are  put  into  the  en- 
graver's hands.  When  plates  from  these  have  been  made, 
proofs  of  them  are  sent  to  the  author,  in  the  same  way  as 
followed  with  the  galley  and  page  proofs  of  the  text. 
Two  sets  of  the  pictures  are  sent  to  him.  One  set  is  for 
his  use  in  cutting  out  the  illustrations  and  attaching  them 
at  the  proper  places  on  the  galley  proofs;  the  other  set 
he  is  to  keep  for  reference. 

A  proof  of  every  picture  should  be  carefully  pasted  on 
the  margin  of  the  galley  proofs,  showing  where  it  is  to  be 
inserted  in  the  text.  Its  title  should  be  given,  and  if  the 
illustrations  are  to  be  numbered  as  "  figures,"  the  number 
should  be  clearly  written  at  the  bottom  of  the  proof.  The 
printer  will  then  arrange  the  illustration  at  the  place  on 
the  page  most  convenient  to  the  one  indicated  by  the 
author.  The  author  should  carefully  examine  the  pic- 
tures and  titles  on  receipt  of  the  page  proofs  of  them. 

Care  in  Indicating  Pictures.— It  is  not  sufficient  to 
write  on  the  galley  proof  the  words  "  Here  insert  illustra- 


248        GOOD  ENGLISH  IN  GOOD  FORM 

tion,"  or  "  Insert  portrait,"  "  Illustrations  already  made," 
etc.  A  proof  of  the  illustration  itself  must  be  placed 
there.  Among  hundreds  of  illustrations  constantly  on 
hand  for  "  make-up  "  at  the  office  of  the  publishers,  there 
are  frequently  many  that  are  similar  in  their  general  ap- 
pearance but  quite  different  in  the  purposes  for  which 
they  are  intended.  For  example,  there  may  be  several 
pictures  of  the  same  object,  but  each  different  from  the 
others  in  size  and  style  of  engraving.  The  printer  has  no 
certain  means  of  identifying  the  illustration  except  by  its 
proof,  as  furnished  by  the  author. 

Galley  proofs  requiring  the  insertion  of  pictures,  of 
which  engraver's  proofs  have  not  reached  the  author, 
should  be  held  until  the  pictures  arrive.  A  notification 
to  the  publishers  that  a  certain  galley  is  ready  to  be  re- 
turned, but  requires  the  proof  of  a  certain  illustration, 
will  hasten  the  matter.  If  galleys  requiring  pictures  are 
inadvertently  without  proofs  of  the  pictures,  the  work  at 
the  printer's  may  go  forward  beyond  the  point  where  the 
pictures  should  have  been  inserted.  The  cost  of  insertion 
afterward  will  be  largely  increased ;  but  the  make-up  may 
be  stopped  if  notification  reaches  the  publishers. 

In  the  case  of  insets,  however,  such  an  omission  would 
make  no  difference,  these  directions  applying  only  to  such 
illustrations  as  are  printed  with  the  text. 

Cost  of  Author's  Corrections. —  The  cost  of  author's 
corrections  in  a  book  in  which  illustrations  are  in  the  text 
is  usually  greater  than  in  one  without  them,  as  the 
changes  in  the  pages  frequently  cause  resetting  in  order 
that  the  lines  may  be  rearranged  about  the  illustrations. 

When  an  illustration  has  been  taken  from  another  book, 
credit  should  be  given  in  a  line  printed  just  under  the 
illustration  itself  at  the  right-hand  side,  permission  being 
first  secured  from  the  author  and  the  publishers  of  the 
book  from,  which  it  is  taken ;  but  in  the  list  of  illustrations 
printed  in  the  front  matter  of  the  book  it  is  not  neces- 
sary to  repeat  the  credit. 


15  2001 
SFiLF 
QUARTER  LOAN 


OS 


A    000130092    0 


